


Huntresses

by dietcokeenthusiast



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Getting Together, Injury, Slow Burn, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-13
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-04 06:50:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10270745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dietcokeenthusiast/pseuds/dietcokeenthusiast
Summary: Aloy's had no shortage of people underestimating her, and when she visits the Hunting Lodge in Meridian she expects the same kind of treatment. Instead, she encounters another hunter who might just be her match.





	1. The Lodge

**Author's Note:**

> So I've totally fallen in love with Horizon: Zero Dawn and had to write something about it! The dialogue in this chapter is pretty heavily game dialogue (with some modifications) on account of things being pretty set in stone as to how Aloy's first trip to the Hunting Lodge happens, but there'll be some more new things to come! Either way, enjoy. :)

Aloy fiddled with the armor on her shoulders. She was grateful for how cool Carja armor was in the warm weather of Meridian, but getting the small armor plates to sit just right was a challenge. It wasn’t anything that would slow her down, but if she much preferred it when something _wasn’t_ digging into her shoulder whenever she drew her bow back. Catching a glimpse of a couple of guards whispering to each other and glancing at her, Aloy moved on, deciding that “less uncomfortable” was good enough. She wasn’t about to let more people gawk and whisper about the foreigner.

_Arrogant and judgmental. Funny the Carja and the Nora don’t get along better._

Shutting out the voices around her, Aloy glanced around the streets, scanning for her destination. In her journey west, she would often stop by the hunting grounds that dotted the landscape, taking the chance to rest and to brush up on her skills. No matter what grounds she was at, though, they all spent plenty of time talking up the Hunting Lodge. With the way the groundskeepers talked about the place, she figured that it must be hard to miss. Heading up the stairs, she came across a massive building, gating on either side of the entranceway. _Definitely hard to miss._

As she strode into the building, though, she froze. Standing in front of her was a massive machine like she had never seen before; two legs with some sort of weapon attached, a deadly-looking tail, and jaws that looked like they could rival a Rockcrusher’s. Aloy was in awe. _Could they really have taken an entire machine as a trophy like that? How would they even move it?!_

“Excuse me,”

Aloy turned around to find an older man standing next to her. She nodded in acknowledgment.

“This is the Hunter’s Lodge,” the man explained. “You need to win three half suns at our Hunting Grounds to gain admittance to the lodge.”

Aloy grinned and reached into her pouch, pulling out a handful of badges. She hadn’t been certain which ones they were, but she knew there was more than three there. “You mean these?”

The older man took a second to look them over before smiling politely. “Very well then. Congratulations, and welcome.”

Aloy smiled back. “Thanks. So this makes me a member now?”

He shook his head. “No, you’re only a fledgling. You’d need to become a Thrush to be a member.”

“And how do I become a Thrush?”

“You need a Hawk, one of our senior members, to sponsor you. I’m afraid most of them already have a fledgling to sponsor, though.”

Aloy nodded. She was a bit frustrated that her display still wasn’t enough, but she wasn’t going to let herself be stopped that easily. “I’ve overcome worse odds. Where do I start?”

The man pointed upstairs. “Sunhawk Ahsis, our leader. He should introduce you to a Hawk. I hope it’s worth it.”

Aloy raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“You’ll see,” the older man replied.

“Right,” Aloy muttered to herself. “I’m Aloy, by the way.”

“Ligan,” he replied. “It’s nice to meet you. And good luck.”

Aloy thought she detected some sarcasm in Ligan’s tone, but decided to ignore it. She already felt outnumbered as it was. As she looked about the room at the crowds of hunters, she could only see a Carja and a few Oseram. There wasn’t a single other Nora in sight. She also couldn’t help but notice how few women were in the lodge. Though she hardly had fond memories of the Nora, at the very least she remembered the Braves’ ranks being fairly even. Here, she stood out like a Snapmaw.

Fortunately, the people here seemed far more concerned with their own business than her, and Aloy didn’t notice more than a few odd looks fired her way. That suited her just fine. Taking a breath, she made her way up the stairs. The second floor was noticeably less full than the first. Aside from a few men walking past, the only person she could see was a man in a braided beard standing in the corner. Looking at his armor and thinking of her own, Aloy couldn’t help but think that the Carja were quite fond of showing off their stomachs.

The man turned to face her, glancing her up and down as if he were sizing her up. “Ah, the machine rider graces us with her presence.”

Aloy blinked. She knew that being able to “tame” machines meant that you built up a reputation, but she didn’t think she’d be so instantly recognizable in Meridian. “Are you Ahsis?”

He nodded, continuing to study Aloy carefully. “You’re a Nora, are you not? A fighter from the savage lands?”

She bristled at the comment. She had only spent one night in Meridian, but that was enough to resent constantly being referred to as a savage. “The Sacred Lands,” she corrected him. “But yes. I fought for everything I got.”

“Hm,” Ahsis replied. “Tell me, do the Nora often wander into other people’s homes and do whatever they like?”

Aloy was taken aback by the turn in the questioning. “Of course n-“

“But that is what you’re doing, right now.” Ahsis interrupted, narrowing his eyes. “Stinking up our lodge, pestering your betters.”

“You’re hardly my better,” said Aloy. As tired as she was of being disrespected by people who saw themselves as superior to her, she wasn’t ever going to stop demanding respect from them. “I’m here to become a member.”

An arrogant smirk crossed Ahsis’ lips. “That would be true if there were any chance of you becoming a member. But you’re a savage, and no savage will rise in the ranks of the Hunter’s Lodge while I am Sunhawk. Now begone.”

Aloy grit her teeth at the sound of _that_ word, and looked him straight in the eye. “No. I was led to believe there were rules here. If they count for nothing, then even your position is meaningless. So quit blustering at tell me,” Aloy stepped closer to Ahsis, never breaking eye contact with him. “Is there a Hawk who is free to sponsor me?

By now Ahsis was glaring at Aloy. He looked as though he wanted to strike her right then and there. Aloy almost wanted him to try. Finally, he spoke. “Very well. Talanah is free.” He chuckled derisively at her. “Wouldn’t that be fitting? Trash sponsoring trash. Now get out of my sight.”

Aloy was frustrated, but managed to hold on to a sense of satisfaction as Ahsis walked away. As much as she wanted to wipe the smug, condescending look off his face, she knew she had won that exchange. He couldn’t stop her from entering the lodge, and couldn’t stop her from trying to become a member. Like so many other people who thought they were better than her, Ahsis couldn’t do a damn thing to stop her. Soon enough, she’d be proving him wrong, just the same as anyone else.

Now, to find this Talanah.

She wasn’t even sure who she was supposed to be looking for. She wasn’t familiar with Carja names, and it wasn’t as though she knew anyone else at the lodge. Sighing, she made her way back down the stairs into the crowd, keeping her eyes peeled for anyone who might look like they were expecting her.

Thankfully, it didn’t take Aloy long to notice a woman who looked to be around her age leaning against a pillar, studying her carefully. It was different from the usual looks she had got around Meridian, and not unlike the way Ahsis sized her up earlier. Making eye contact, Aloy approached her. Her lips and eyes were painted in the way she had seen other Carja women do, and wore a steel band over blue silk. Notes of perfume managed to break through the omnipresent smell of spice and the thick scent of alcohol and smoke. Aloy swore she caught a hint of a smile as she got closer.

“You’re Talanah?”

The woman just nodded. Aloy felt a palpable sense of relief at encountering another woman.

“Ahsis said you were a Hawk, and could sponsor a fledgling.”

More silent nodding, and more staring.

Aloy sighed. “Or are you trying to drive me off too? It’s okay, I’ve dealt with worse.”

“Hmmm… I’ll bet you have,” Talanah finally spoke. “But you’re wrong. It’s not okay. Especially not today.”

Aloy tried not to look too surprised.  Encountering someone who didn’t buy into the usual crap about position and birthright in any place she had been was rare enough, let alone finding someone else who wasn’t afraid to say what she thought about it. “What happened today?”

“One of our own just died fighting Redmaw. You’ll never face a more dangerous Thunderjaw.”

Aloy glanced over at the massive machine in the middle of the lodge. _Was that a Thunderjaw?_ “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Talanah shrugged. “It’s part of the hunt.”

Aloy nodded. There was something refreshing about how direct Talanah was. “So, Ahsis? What’s his story?”

“He’s the Sunhawk, which makes him the highest ranking assh- sorry, member,” Talanah said with a smile. Aloy giggled, happy to hear him taken down a peg. “He’s taken down Ravagers, Stalkers Behemoths…”

Aloy recognized those names. Tough fights, but hardly reason for Ahsis to look down on everyone. “So? I’ve taken down a lot of machines.”

“As have I, even brought down two Stormbirds.”

Aloy’s eyes widened. She remembered the focus identifying the massive flying machine that attacked her once she left the Sacred Lands as a Stormbird. She had barely escaped that time, and while she knew she’d be able to figure out how to take one down, right now the thought of someone killing two of them was seriously impressive.

“But, he brought in the trophies first,” Talanah continued, shrugging once again. “That’s how it works.”

“So is there any actual hunting then? Because so far, it’s all talk.”

Talanah giggled. “Yes, of course. You just need to the trophy to prove that _you’re_ not just talk. You want them to regret looking down on you? Then speak to them in their language.”

Aloy nodded. “So what do I need to do?”

“Start bringing in trophies. They have to be from tough machines, though. If you get some good ones that should shut them up.”

“So if I do that you’ll sponsor me?”

“I’ll consider it,” said Talanah, grinning. “Just to make Ahsis boil.”

Aloy smiled. “There’s a worthy cause. So do I have to get them from any specific place, or do you need to see me hunt?”

Talanah shook her head. “You don’t need me to hold your hand.”

“Right,” said Aloy. “I’ll be back with the trophies.”

“I hope so,” Talanah shot back, smirking.

As Aloy made her way out of the lodge, she noticed the smile hadn’t left her face. Seeing someone else who was clearly capable and didn’t treat her like bad scrap was a nice change of pace. Even Talanah’s teasing seemed to say _I know what you’re capable of and respect you._

Aloy had a feeling they were going to get along very well.


	2. Tested

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite her initial efforts to prove herself, Aloy isn't yet a member of the Hunter's Lodge. That changes when Talanah gives her a mission to take on together, and Hawk and Thrush get a chance to see each other in action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this got done faster than I initially anticipated! Chapter 3 may be a bit longer to come, but for now, enjoy! :)

As soon as Aloy finished making her way down the stairs, Talanah was there waiting for her, as though she had known she’d be back at the lodge right then and there. She let out a laugh she had clearly been holding in for a while, and beckoned Aloy over. “The look on Ahsis’ face was too good! I knew he was going to be angry, but that was even better than I had hoped.”

‘Aloy grinned. “A ‘Nora savage’ showing him up and delivering him six trophies. Maybe now he’ll shut up for a little while.”

“I really wish he would,” said Talanah. “It would make him a bit more tolerable. Either way, good work. It doesn’t even look like you had much trouble.”

“Like I said, I’ve hunted a lot machines,” said Aloy, still grinning. She was still feeling the adrenaline rush from hunting the Stalker just a few hours ago, and always relished the opportunity to make an arrogant ass like Ahsis eat his own words.

Talanah returned the smile. “I hope he wasn’t as bad as the last time you talked.”

Aloy shook her head. “I could tell he was angry, but I don’t think he had as much reason to talk down to me. He said something about you, though.”

Talanah snorted derisively. “That’s not surprising. What did he say?”

“He said you should be spending more time finding Redmaw than ‘sludge’ like me.”

Talanah just rolled her eyes. “That bunghead isn’t wrong. About the Redmaw part. There isn’t time for that now, though.”

“What do you mean?”

“I need your help with something else.”

“Is that why you were here waiting for me?” Aloy asked.

“Not waiting. I just had a feeling you’d be coming here,” Talanah smirked. _Seems like I’m not the only one who’s good at tracking._ “Meet me outside.”

“Right,” Aloy nodded. She was thankful to be able to get out of the lodge for some air; not even Erend’s breath smelled that strongly of alcohol. Keeping a few steps behind Talanah, she slowed down to take in the city. The evening air was cool and refreshing, and even in the torchlight the stars were still visible. Away from the usual scents of the lodge, she could smell Talanah’s perfume a bit more clearly, something sweet and floral. She wondered if it would be odd to ask her about it. Regardless, she liked it.

“Hey, Aloy!”

Aloy blinked. Talanah had ended up some distance away from her, and was standing next to another woman in a blue dress. She jogged over to the two of them, muttering under her breath. It wasn’t like her to just lose focus like that. “Sorry…”

Talanah nodded, and Aloy swore she smirked a little bit. “Here’s what I was talking about. She’s someone who needs help. Go ahead, Ilsadi.”

“Thank you,” said the other woman, whom Aloy assumed was Isaldi. “I live in Lone Light, a village north of here. It’s Glinthawks… they’re attacking anyone who ventures out. We don’t have many shards, but we have nowhere else to turn. Will you help?”

Aloy raised an eyebrow. “Shards?”

“Sometimes members get an honorarium for their hunts,” Talanah explained. “This one was Ahsis’, but her refused.” She frowned. “The price was too low.”

Even in the brief time she knew him. Aloy was certain Ahsis couldn’t get any worse. Somehow he managed to prove her wrong. “How generous.”

“In the past, I would have handled this with Tarkas, but what say you and I take it on?”

Aloy was curious about who this Tarkas was, but assumed that he must have been another hunter at the lodge. “I’m in. I’ll meet you at Lone Light as soon as I can.”

\---

Aloy caught a glimpse of a group Glinthawks circling the settlement from the base of the path up.  She grimaced, counting at least three. As much as they were a good test of her marksmanship, they were annoyingly flighty and even a narrow miss from one of their blasts left her with a bit of frostbite for her trouble. Knowing it was only a matter of time before they set themselves on the village, though, Aloy charged up the path as fast as her legs could carry her. As she neared the settlement, she started panting. Rost had instilled in her to keep up with her conditioning, but the desert climate made any physical exertion that much more draining. As she began to hear cries from the settlement, though, Aloy knew she’d have the luxury of being tired out later.

Finally, in view of the entrance to Lone Light, Aloy saw Talanah standing there, looking back and forth between the sky and the path. “About time you showed up!” She shouted. “There’s more of them incoming!”

“On it!” Aloy replied, reaching for her bow. Right now was the best chance she had of taking one down quickly, so she immediately scanned the sky, catching a glimpse of one flying just slightly slower than the others. _That’s the one._ Pulling her bow back, Aloy focused on its flight pattern, knowing she only had a short time to figure it out before they were seen. She loosed the arrow, pumping her fist as she saw it penetrate the freeze canister and send it to the ground in an icy explosion. She immediately sprung into action, running to the spot of the crash and driving the spear right through the machine’s body, leaving it a sparking mess.

“Nice shot!” Talanah called, firing a volley of arrows that crashed against the wings of the remaining Glinthawks. Aloy gave supporting fire and watched, impressed, as Talanah rolled between two ice blasts from either Glinthawk, firing an arrow at the machine’s head. The shot sent the Glinthawk crashing to the ground, where Lone Light’s guards were waiting to bludgeon it. The second Talanah caught a glimpse of the guards finishing off the one she shot down, she smoothly changed her stance to face the surviving Glinthawk, firing an arrow right in its freeze canister. As it tumbled downward, she fired her bow with startling precision, blasting off components and pieces of armor as the machine sputtered and died.

Aloy grinned, pleased at being able to take in such a display. “Nice shot yourself!”

Talanah was smiling when she turned to face Aloy, but the smile dropped from her face almost immediately as she began running towards her, shouting her name. Aloy opened her mouth to ask what she was doing, but before any words could come out Talanah had closed the distance and knocked her to the ground. A split second later, a Glinthawk dove past them, narrowly missing the two of them.

“There’s more!” Talanah called out, rolling off of Aloy and pulling out her bow, firing at the Glinthawk that nearly dive bombed her. Aloy immediately shook herself off and looked up, noticing that there were three more Glinthawks in the air. Readying her fire arrows, she loosed a pair of them at one of the Machines, letting out a triumphant cry as it burst into flames and crashed downward. Charging and leaping forward, she drove her spear right through it. In the meantime, she saw another sparking wreck crash down onto the ground, riddled with arrows she assumed must be Talanah’s. The two exchanged a knowing look, when Aloy noticed something moving from behind Talanah.

“Move!” Aloy yelled, firing an arrow right at the swooping Glinthawk as Talanah rolled to the side. The arrow must have struck a critical component, as the Glinthawk hit the ground hard, skidding to a stop right in front of Aloy. After a quick check to make sure the machine was out of action, she turned her attention to Talanah. “Are you all right?”

“I am, thanks to you,” Talanah replied, dusting herself off.

“Just returning the favor,” said Aloy with a smile.

Talanah smiled back. “Anyways, that seems to have taken care of them.”

“But more always come.” Aloy turned to look at Ilsadi, who had stepped out from one of the buildings. “Guards from Morning’s watch don’t even fight them anymore.”

Aloy nodded. “I’m good at tracking. I could track them back to the source.”

“All right then,” said Talanah. “I’ll watch the village. You go on ahead.”

Aloy gave her a puzzled look. “Didn’t you want to do this together?” She asked, sounding more disappointed than she wanted to let on. The two of them really had fought well together.

Talanah shrugged. “What did I say about holding your hand?”

“All right,” Aloy replied, remembering their first exchange back at the lodge. She activated her focus, and began scanning for tracks or anything else that might lead her to where the Glinthawks were coming from. “Time to get to the bottom of this.”

\---

Aloy dived out of the way of a volley of arrows. When she found out the Glinthawk attacks were caused by a man named Vashad, who had amassed quite the collection of dead Snapmaws to try and get enough of their hearts to pay off a debt, she was initially sympathetic.

But then Vashad had to try to threaten her.

He had gone down easily enough, but his friends had the advantage of numbers. There were still three of them left. Aloy steadied her breathing as she moved quietly through the tall grass, and looked for an opening. Vashad’s partner didn’t seem like he was that capable, but she could tell the women standing on the rocks were dangerous. It’d be best to take them out first, but popping up to shoot one meant opening herself up to the others. Then, she noticed a large rock nearby, and decided to act. Springing to her feet, Aloy fired an arrow at one of the women, taking her down as it buried itself in her chest. Rushing to the rock, she slid behind cover and fired one at Vashad’s partner, who seemed to be trying to attack her from the side. He wasn’t any more.

Now it was just her and the last of Vashad’s “help”. Without the numbers advantage, this was going to be easy. It was just a matter of giving her just enough to shoot at to get her out in the open, and then putting an arrow between her eyes. Once it was done, she checked to make sure there was no one else in hiding, and let out a sigh of relief. Things were finally done with.

Then, a familiar voice. “Aloy!”

Standing at the climb up to the camp was Talanah, waving her over. Aloy just stared for a while. “You were watching the whole time?”

“Of course!” She called back. “I did want to make sure you could handle yourself, but Tarkas, may the Sun light his passing, taught me a Hawk never abandons their Thrush,” Talanah went on, grinning. “I see congratulations are in order!”

 _There was that name again…_ Aloy pushed it out of her head, and smiled despite herself. While she was a bit irritated to not have the backup during the last encounter, Talanah’s smile made it hard to stay angry.

Then the meaning of Talanah’s words sank in. “Wait… you mean…”

Talanah’s smile grew even wider. “That’s right, I want to sponsor you! What do you say to more hunting, more trophies, and unseating Ahsis?”

Aloy nodded enthusiastically. “I’m in!”

Talanah grabbed onto Aloy’s hand. She was nearly taken aback by the strength in her grip. “Great! Meet me back at the lodge as soon as you can.”

Aloy nodded again, her smile almost as big as Talanah’s. Making Ahsis even angrier, and hunting with her? She could imagine far worse things.


	3. Not Just Any Thrush...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aloy's finally become a member of the Hunter's Lodge. After spending an evening conversing with her sponsor, she discovers that they have even more in common than she thought.

“Look at her! She’s a lowborn, a savage! This is beneath even you Talanah.”

Aloy thought she might draw blood from having to bite her tongue. She more than had her fill of people like Ahsis speaking down to her.

In contrast, Talanah maintained her composure, speaking in even tones as if she were dealing with a child throwing a tantrum. “Sun King Avad decreed the lodge should be open to all. Would you like to take it up with him?”

Ahsis just glared at her; the kind of look that was full of anger and resentment, but also an acknowledgment that there was nothing he could do to stop this. “It will bring ruin to the lodge, but so be it. The word of the Sun King is indeed law.” He then turned his attention to Aloy, giving her a look of contempt that might wither a weaker hunter, but filled her with a smug sense of satisfaction. “Do you, Aloy of the Nora, pledge to act rightly and nobly when in service to the lodge, all the days to follow?”

She considered making a comment about how Ahsis could do with following that standard himself, but kept it to herself. “I do.”

“Members of the Lodge!” He called out. “Even though Tarkas is barely cold,” he began, shooting a glance in Talanah’s direction, “I present to you Aloy of the Nora, member and Thrush. What say you all?”

Aloy glanced around the room. There were a few mutterings, and a bit of applause, mostly from Ligan. The tepid response was broken by Talanah’s shout. “To the hunt!” Exchanging a glance with her, Aloy was glad that she had someone on her side, especially someone like her.

Ahsis snorted derisively. “Sponsoring an outlander,” he said, spitting the words out like they were poison. “While you make meaningless gestures, I’ll be out finding Redmaw.” With no other acknowledgment than one last dirty look, Ahsis strode off, making his was down the stairs and through the crowd of hunters.

“Today is a good day,” Talanah began as soon as he was out of earshot, resting a hand on Aloy’s shoulder. She stiffened somewhat at the touch. She wasn’t sure whether the tingling she felt on her skin was because she just wasn’t used to contact, or how warm Talanah’s hand felt. “Welcome to the Lodge, Aloy of the Nora.”

“Thanks! For sponsoring me _and_ standing up for me.”

Talanah smiled. “I’m glad to.”

“So, why go through all the trouble?” Aloy asked. “I’m not complaining, but it seems like it’s a lot of trouble for you to deal with.”

Talanah paused for a moment. “Let’s go outside.”

Aloy felt a gentle push on her shoulder guiding her towards the balcony. It was another nice night; the stars were out again, a gentle breeze blew across the city, and from the balcony she had an incredible view of the valley below. For a moment, Aloy just leaned forward on the balcony and took in the sights, Talanah’s perfume a welcome compliment.

“So… about the Lodge,” Talanah started, leaning on the railing beside her. “Some background. Carja noble houses have sent sons to the Lodge for generations, because they needed another place to lord over the commoners. But I wanted to change that, the idea that someone is worthy or not by virtue of birth alone.”

Aloy nodded. “That’s usually how it is. The Nora never really had any nobility, but they still liked having people around they thought they were better than.”

“Guess we have even more in common,” Talanah smirked. “You know, everyone thinks that they have me pegged as soon as they hear Talanah Khane Padish, just because they knew my family. I hate that.”

“I understand. My entire life I lived as an outcast from the Nora. They would’ve been the first to say I wasn’t one of them.”

“I heard about that. Is true what they say about being outcast?”

Aloy sighed. “I wouldn’t know what they say, but I wasn’t ever allowed to visit a settlement or even talk to anyone.”

A look of concern crossed Talanah’s face. “That’s terrible.”

“It was,” Aloy continued. “And even with everything that happened, as soon as I venture out of the sacred lands, I’m ‘Aloy of the Nora’. It should be ‘Aloy despite the Nora.’”

Talanah nodded. “I’ll remember that.”

Aloy smiled. Even if she hadn’t known Talanah very long, she appreciated having someone around her who understood her. Who she had common ground with. Knowing that there was someone else out there who could see past some of the ridiculous assumptions and prejudices out there made her feel better about the world. “So what’s the story behind Redmaw? You and Ahsis keep talking about it.”

“You’re curious,” Talanah chuckled.

“Is that a problem?”

“Not at all,” Talanah replied, brushing a hand over Aloy’s shoulder again. The feeling was still unfamiliar and a bit strange, but it definitely wasn’t unwelcome. “It’s a Thunderjaw, but you knew that. Some say it bears the marks of a dozen hunters on its flank. Few have seen it, but when members go hunting and don’t return, we often blame Redmaw.”

“Sounds almost mythical.”

“It’s more than a legend for me, though. For me, it’s the only way to unseat Ahsis.”

Aloy smiled, and moved her hand a bit closer, stopping just shy of Talanah’s forearm. She hoped it wasn’t too obvious that she missed it, as it was a lot harder than Talanah made it look. “You’d make a much better Sunhawk than him.”

“I’m glad you think so, but that wasn’t the original plan. My sponsor, Tarkas… he died fighting Redmaw.”

“Oh… I’m sorry. I know you had mentioned Tarkas before.”

 

Talanah sighed. “He sponsored me out of loyalty to my family. He was the last link to my family, besides the Lodge.” Talanah looked away into the distance. “That’s why I have to unseat Ahsis.”

 It was the first time Aloy had seen Talanah look troubled. Look hurt. Look vulnerable. She was silent for a moment as she considered leaving things where they will. Her curiosity, both for what happened and to see if there was maybe more that the two of them shared, won out. “So I know why I hate Ahsis, but why do you?”

Talanah hesitated a moment, turning her attention back to Aloy’s face. Aloy met her eyes and placed her hand on top of Talanah’s, keenly aware that a life as an outcast didn’t exactly equip someone for dealing with sensitive situations, but hoping she could reassure her anyways. She felt a sense of relief as the corners of Talanah’s lips turned ever so slightly upward in acknowledgment of the gesture. “My family has always boasted members in the Lodge. My father and brother were both Hawks, but Ahsis let their sacrifice be forgotten.”

“What sacrifice?” Aloy asked, her voice softening.

“They died in the Massacre. They should be honored as Hawks, but Ahsis will not let anyone mention it.”

Aloy moved closer. “What happened in the Massacre.”

“Sun King Jiran’s paranoia knew no bounds. He sent thousands of innocents to die in the sun ring, thinking them traitors. When the Hawks of the Lodge called on him to stop the slaughter, he threw them in the ring, too.”

“That’s terrible!” Aloy had heard the stories of the Red Raids from her own people, but had no idea the old Sun King had been so cruel to his own people as well.

“When the machines in the ring attacked the condemned, more Hawks leapt into the ring to defend them.” Talanah paused for a moment to gather herself. “My father and brother were among them.”

Aloy glanced at Talanah. She wanted to tell her that she understood. That she knew what it was like to have someone dear to her ripped away. That she knew what it was like to see a loved one’s sacrifice pass unacknowledged. The words just wouldn’t come, though. It was like they had gotten stuck in the back of her throat. Instead, she forced herself to speak what she could. “I’m… I’m so sorry…”

“I appreciate it, Aloy,” said Talanah. “Once I become Sunhawk, and I _will_ become Sunhawk, the sacrifice of our Hawks, of my family, will never go unacknowledged again. No matter how badly that fool Ahsis wants to cling to the old regime.”

“The way it should be,” Aloy added. For a while the conversation fell into a lull, and the two women stood quietly beside one another from the balcony. The din of the Lodge felt distant, even though they were only just outside, and while Aloy wished she had been able to be more reassuring, in that peaceful moment she thought that maybe she didn’t need to say anything right now. Like Erend had told her, hearing someone else talk about their greatest loss doesn’t necessarily make it any easier.

Still, in Talanah Aloy was beginning to think that she had found a kindred spirit, and hoped that she was able to see it too.

“Thank you for listening, Aloy,” said Talanah, breaking the silence. “Since Tarkas and my family passed, I don’t have very many other people I’d call friend. We might have only met a little while ago, but I feel like I can count on you,” she smiled. “Then again, that’s one of the reasons I chose to sponsor you.”

“You can,” Aloy replied. “You’re different from a lot of the people I’ve met before, and I don’t just mean because you’re Carja.”

Talanah smirked. “I hope that’s a good thing.”

“It is. I don’t have many people I’d call friend either, so different from most of the people I meet is good.”

“Then that suits me fine, Aloy.”

Aloy grinned in response. “So now that I’m a member, what happens now?”

“You really do ask a lot of questions,” Talanah teased. “But now that you’re a Thrush, you want to keep working to improve your reputation. Keep hunting, and bring in the trophies. There’s some Thunderjaws northeast of Meridian, and that’ll be good practice for when you face Redmaw.”

Aloy’s eyes widened. “When I face Redmaw?”

“That’s right. I will find him, and when I do, I expect you to be there with me.”

A Thunderjaw on its own sounded like it would be a hell of a challenge, but after what the heard about Redmaw she was glad that the two of them were going to be hunting it together. “You’ve got it. So in the meantime, you want me to go trophy hunting?”

“That’s right,” Talanah smirked, a glimmer in her eyes. “You’re not just any Thrush, you’re mine. And you better make me look good.”

_I can’t think of any way you wouldn’t look good._

_Wait, why did I just think that?!_

Aloy suddenly felt very grateful for the dim torchlight, and how difficult it would make it to see the blush spreading over her cheeks. “Oh, you… you’ve got it! I’ll start the hunt first thing in the morning.”

After exchanging good nights with Talanah, Aloy was off to find a place to sleep, and to try _not_ to think about why her thoughts took the direction they did.


	4. Redmaw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Redmaw emerges once again, Aloy helps Talanah hunt the only machine that might help her become Sunhawk. She also discovers the joys of bonding over rabbit soup and remedies for an injured shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been so stoked about the reception this has gotten so far - thanks for reading everyone! This one was originally going to be two chapters, but I decided they worked better as one big one. Enjoy! :D

Aloy ran as fast as she could. Her thighs felt like they were burning, a strange taste was forming at the back of her throat, and a terrible feeling was forming in her stomach, but she continued to push herself. After what Ligan told her, she knew that time was of the essence. _What was she thinking going out there alone?_

After leaping across a stream and over undergrowth, she saw a group of mercenaries around the speartips, shouting taunts and curses. _This must be it. Please, this has to be it._ Drawing her bow back, she let loose an arrow, which buried itself in the back of one of their skulls.

She then heard a familiar voice from behind the rock. “How much is Ahsis paying you?”

_It’s her!_ “TALANAH!” Aloy called out.

That immediately got their attention. A group of them turned towards her, with one of them getting an arrow in the back from Talanah for their trouble. Aloy continued to fire on the mercenaries, catching one in the chest and wincing as an arrow grazed her arm. Hiding behind a rock, she ground some herbs from her pouch in her hand, and rubbed it on the wound. It stung, but it managed to sting the bleeding. When she finally popped up from behind the rock, the mercenaries’ numbers looked noticeably smaller. It didn’t take long for her and Talanah to make short work of them.

Still short of breath, Aloy jogged up to Talanah. “Are you okay?”

“I am, thank you,” Talanah replied, her expression indicating she was clearly not in the mood to celebrate. “Of course he would hire men to keep me from Redmaw. I should have seen this coming.”

“Where is Ahsis now?”

“He’s gone after Redmaw. This way, hurry!” With that, Talanah was off like a shot, and Aloy was close behind. She was still feeling her previous exertion, but if Ahsis wasn’t going to play fair then she didn’t want to leave Talanah alone. After everything she had done for her, Aloy wanted to help her succeed, or at least stay alive.

“Why’d he go after Redmaw alone?” Aloy asked, panting.

“Vanity. He didn’t want to share credit for the kill with his Thrush,” Talanah replied, also short of breath. “Tarkas did the same, even though we knew we needed it to unseat Ahsis.”

_So that’s what happened._ Aloy followed Talanah along a jungle path. As they moved forward, she saw Talanah’s pace slow, and her expression grow more frustrated. “Ugh! I’m not sure where they went from here…”

Aloy nodded, and tapped her focus. “I can follow their tracks.” The environment seemed to glow a faint purple, and brighter as she focused on the two sets of footprints in front of her. With a second tap, he footprints were “highlighted” in her field of vision, the focus keeping track of their position. She broke off into a spring along the tracks, Talanah following behind. Leaping over the broken trees that littered the path, they soon came to a clearing where a particularly vicious Thunderjaw stood waiting for them.

Talanah swallowed. “That’s it… Redmaw.”

Aloy watched in awe as the massive machine let out a terrible sound, broken only by the clanging of arrows against its armor. Looking slightly downward, she saw Ahsis, holding his own, and dodging the beast’s attacks. A short time later, though, Ahsis’ luck ran out. He was struck hard by the machine’s tail, sending him flying into a rock hard enough to crack it.

She looked over at Talanah. For the first time Aloy had seen, she looked scared. She could hardly blame her. The machine was absolutely terrifying. However, tt this point there was no turning back. Aloy got low to the ground, and moved as quietly as she could behind a rock. Talanah quickly followed suit. Readying a tearblast arrow, she used it to point at the disc launcher. Understanding, Talanah nodded.

It was time. Popping out of cover, she fired the arrow at the cannon. A large “thump” later, and the launcher fell off. Before Redmaw could notice her, Talanah had rolled out the other side, pumping arrow after arrow into its flank, hammering away at the armor plating. Aloy dashed for the disc launcher while Redmaw was distracted, impressed by its weight as she picked it up. Whistling loudly, she waited for the machine to turn its attention to her before blasting its head with the launcher, knocking off the lightning cannons and tearing through armor. She managed to stagger the mechanical beast with continuous fire, blasting away until she was completely out of ammunition.

As she dropped the weapon and readied her bow, Aloy was caught unaware by how quickly Redmaw had closed the distance. As it lowered it’s head and threw its weight at her, Aloy dodged out of the way, but was caught in the shoulder. She skidded along the ground, crying out in pain. She frantically searched in her satchel for a potion, _something_ to dull the pain and prevent her from getting too injured. Redmaw was right on her trail, and was ready to crush her in its jaws. Aloy rolled again, this time between the machine’s legs, and narrowly avoided harm. She then dove away almost immediately as it swung its tail at her. She saw what it did to Ahsis, and had no intention of becoming its next victim. No matter what she did, though, Redmaw stayed on her, and dodging it got harder and harder with the condition her shoulder was in.

Then there was a crackle of electricity as its power core was struck, and the beast staggered once again. “Over here!” Talanah cried, trying to get Redmaw’s attention. As it turned around, she fired an arrow right in the machine’s lens, making it throw its head to the side. That was all the time Aloy needed. She quickly checked her shoulder; nothing broken, some scratches, and a welt that could turn into a massive bruise.  Fortunately, she managed to find the potion she was looking for in her pack. The combination of healing herbs and animal fat was probably the most disgusting thing she had ever tasted, but it soothed her pain. She took care to apply a bit topically, and already the redness had faded somewhat.

Returning to the fight, Talanah had been holding her own. She had been hitting Redmaw’s weak points with her arrows enough to slow it down. If they were going to take it down, though, they needed to get it where it hurt. Aloy put her bow away and readied her ropecaster. She fired a bolt at the tail, and then another. As it tried to swing its tail at Talanah, it found its movement limited, stopping just short of her.

“Talanah, get to its flank!” Aloy shouted as she fired another rope bolt at its leg. Talanah nodded, and rolled to the side. Aloy followed suit, and fired two more ropes, tying them to the ground quickly. That was enough to finally incapacitate Redmaw, which fell onto its side. Aloy grinned. She had only ever faced a Thunderjaw once before this, but that was all she needed to remember. Firing a hardpoint arrow at the flank, she blasted away at an armor plate, revealing the machine’s heart.

She didn’t need to tell Talanah what to do next. She began firing a volley of arrows aimed straight at Redmaw’s heart. The machine “roared” as sparks and flames began to spurt from its body. Meanwhile, Aloy fired rope after rope, desperately trying to replace the ones that got ripped apart as it struggled to escape. The combined onslaught proved to be too much for the machine. With one last metallic cry, its head fell to the dirt, its lenses dimmed. At last, Redmaw was defeated.

Aloy breathed a sigh of relief, as Talanah looked carefully at the wreckage, as if to make sure that they actually had succeeded. After some examination, a wide grin crossed her face. “By the sun, we did it! Hello there, beautiful!”

Aloy felt her cheeks grow hot, until she realized that Talanah was referring to the trophy she was carving out of the sparking wreck. She hoisted it up in the air briefly, before turning her attention to Aloy. Placing the trophy on the ground, she walked over and wrapped her in an embrace. “We make a great team!” she cheered, giving Aloy a friendly squeeze. This time, the blush stayed on her cheeks.

“Oof! And now you’re the Sunhawk!”

The smile dropped from Talanah’s face. _Oh, right…_ The two of them ran over to the rock where Ahsis had been struck. Aloy cringed as she looked at the aftermath; not only was the rock cracked, but chunks of it had flown off as well. Ahsis was lying just below it in a crumpled heap. Somehow, though, against all possible odds, he was still breathing.

“Talanah, he’s still alive!”

Ahsis coughed, flecks of blood spattering the rocks. “Out… of the way… Nora filth.”

Aloy glared at him. _Yeah, still alive. Unfortunately._

“You’re done,” Talanah announced coldly. “The lodge is finally free from your influence.”

“I kept it alive!” Ahsis snarled, “In d-“

“You buried it! Along with my father’s memory!” Talanah fired back. Aloy was surprised the look she was giving him wasn’t enough to finish him off then and there.

Ahsis just chuckled. “I should have… should have let you fight… Redmaw first… and soften him up for me.” He coughed again. “Damn.” With that, Ahsis’ body finally went limp, his last breath leaving him.

Talanah shook her head. “You know, it’s almost a shame.”

Aloy raised an eyebrow. “After all that, you’re going to weep for him?”

“Oh, no,” Talanah chuckled. “I just wanted to see his face when I succeeded him. Oh, and speaking of, meet me back at the Hunter’s Lodge when you can. I have a feeling the new Sunhawk wants to welcome you.”

Aloy looked up at the sky. The sun was just beginning to set. She could probably make it back to Meridian by nightfall if she hurried, but after the battle she just had, and the panic to make it to Talanah on time, some rest was beginning to seem very appealing. “That’ll probably be tomorrow, then. I think I’m going to make camp here tonight.” At the time, Aloy didn’t understand why she said the next words that came out of her mouth, but they had come to her so quickly she had no chance to think twice. “If you want, we could make camp together and both head to the lodge tomorrow.”

Talanah looked a but surprised, but responded surprisingly quickly. “That’s not a bad idea. Let’s maybe put some distance between us and Ahsis before we do, though.”

Aloy smiled. “I’m definitely okay with that.”

\--

Aloy winced as she moved her shoulder to stir the stew, pain shooting through her entire arm. The fight with Redmaw must have done more damage than she thought. It was hardly the worst injury she had ever had, but it really did sting. She’d just have to be careful about how she slept at camp, and she’d be good enough for the trip to Meridian.

“Aloy? Are you all right?”

Aloy turned to look over at Talanah, who regarded her with an expression she couldn’t quite place. “Oh, I’m fine.”

“It looks like your shoulder is giving you some trouble there.”

“That? Oh, that’s nothing. I’ve had a lot worse,” Aloy smiled. “I’m fine, really.”

Talanah crossed her arms. “I’m sure you are, but after everything you’ve done for me, I want to do something to help you. Will you let me take a look?”

Aloy hesitated for a moment. She usually preferred to deal with injuries herself, or to just work through them. Still, there was an earnestness to Talanah’s request that was hard to ignore. She began to loosen the straps on her armor, eventually exposing the right side of her back and her shoulder. “All right. Go ahead.” She tried not to squirm as she felt Talanah’s hands against her back as she moved to get a closer look. She was getting better with being used to casual contact, and even enjoyed some of it, but this touch felt different. More intimate.

“You’re pretty knotted up,” said Talanah, prodding gently at the base of her shoulder blade. “I learned about how to deal with that. Lean forward a bit.”

Aloy was a bit confused, but leaned forward. Then she felt Talanah’s fingers rubbing her shoulder blade, applying firm yet comfortable pressure. It didn’t feel bad, but she definitely wasn’t used to the sensation. “Talanah, what are you doing?”

“Trying to work out some of this tension,” she replied casually, as though she were fashioning an arrow or restringing her bow. “If there’s any damage from the impact you took, that needs rest. It’s going to be a lot more unpleasant to deal with when your shoulder’s this stiff, though. I can always stop if you want.”

Aloy considered telling Talanah to stop, and even opened her mouth to speak, but ultimately decided against it. Talanah was a friend, and if she said she knew what the was doing then Aloy knew it was true. What she didn’t want to admit though was that it actually felt really good to have her shoulder massaged like this. Nor did she want to admit that the feeling of Talanah’s hands gave her a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. Rather, she sighed in contentment, relaxing her posture even further. She could feel the warmth from Talanah’s body move closer as well, but it felt too good to let that tense her up.

“Does this feel okay?” Talanah asked.

“More than okay,” Aloy replied softly. “Is it usual for a Thrush to get this treatment?”

“No,” said Talanah. “Remember what I said, though. You’re not just any Thrush. You’re mine.”

Aloy giggled, glad Talanah couldn’t see her reddening cheeks. For a few minutes longer Aloy just let her continue with her work, making no noise but the occasional sigh or hum. She thought she heard Talanah giggle once or twice, but didn’t ask any further. Finally, she felt Talanah pull her fingers away, immediately missing the feeling of fingertips.

“That should help,” said Talanah, turning her attention to the cooking fire. “I think our rabbit stew should be just about done as well.

_Right. There was a stew_. “Um, good timing! I could eat.”

“I’d be more surprisied if you couldn’t,” said Talanah, getting two bowls out of her pack and filling them up with stew. “Fighting any Thunderjaw can work up an appetite, and you helped take down Rednmaw.”

Accepting the bowl, Aloy nodded and immediately tucked in. She wished she remembered to bring some salt in her pack, but it was perfectly fine. She also couldn’t help but notice her shoulder did feel a lot better. There was still a dull ache, but that was nothing. About halfway through the meal, she noticed that Talanah had been studying her rather intently. It was different from the way she looked at her in the lodge, too; that had been a look of appraisal, of curiosity. This was softer. There was an earnest kindness to her eyes and to her smile now. Still, Aloy couldn’t quite figure out what exactly was so interesting about her. Or why the fire suddenly felt significantly warmer, for that matter. “Do I have something on my face?”

“Hm?” Talanah looked almost startled. “Oh, just a little bit right here,” she said, pointing at her cheek.

Aloy wiped at her cheek, not certain she actually felt herself get anything off. Aloy finished her bowl quickly, and got up to ladle herself out another. Talanah wasn’t far behind.

“So what’ll be your first action as Sunhawk?” asked Aloy, taking another big spoonful of stew. It seemed to be tasting better.

“To officially recognize the sacrifice of my father, brother, and all other members of the Hunting Lodge who died in the Sun Ring,” she replied. “It’s been long overdue. I’d like to build a monument to them too, if I can.”

“A worthy cause,” said Aloy, who had paused eating for a moment. “What actually happened in the Sun Ring that day?”

Talanah froze. After a few moments Aloy opened her mouth to apologize, but was cut off. “It’s… it’s okay. I know they died fighting machines. I didn’t actually see it with my own eyes, but Ligan told me that they fought for hours and hours before they finally fell.” Talanah sighed, and set her bowl down. “The morning it happened, my father told me to meet him outside the said. He said he, my brother, and the others were planning an escape. I waited for hours… and then finally received a message telling me I had to leave the city without him.” Talanah gazed downward. “I fled, when I should have been fighting with him.”

“It’s not your fault, Talanah,” Aloy reassured, looking right at Talanah’s face even if she couldn’t dot he same. “He didn’t want you to die with them.”

“I know,” said Talanah. “He wouldn’t have wanted to be forgotten, either.”

“He won’t be. Not anymore,” Aloy responded, moving to sit beside Talanah.

“Thanks to you,” Talanah smiled, shifting a bit in her seat. “I don’t think I could have taken Redmaw down without you.”

“I doubt anyone could,” said Aloy. The two quietly enjoyed the fire a moment, Aloy wondering what Talanah did to make her lips shimmer like that. She hadn’t seen anything like it on even the other Carja women she met. It suited her.

“Aloy?”

Aloy immediately sat up straighter, concerned she had been drifting again. “Yes?”

“I’ve realized I’ve spoken to you a lot about my family. I don’t think you’ve ever told me about yours. Could I ask you about them?”

Aloy had to fight not to show how much that question hurt. It’s not as though Talanah could have known; all she really knew was that she was an outcast. In most circumstances, that would have been good enough for Aloy. Still, Talanah had been so open to her about everything that had happened to her, and outside of Erend and maybe Matriarch Teersa, she could trust Talanah not to look down on her or think less of her because of her past.

“I… I don’t think I had one. I know I told you I was outcast all my life, and that meant from birth. I was raised by another outcast, his name was Rost. He was a good man,” Aloy continued, smiling sadly at his memory. “While everyone else told me I wasn’t even good enough to speak to them, Rost looked after me and taught me everything he knew. How to track, how to fight, how to shoot.”

“That sounds like a father to me,” said Talanah.

“Maybe,” Aloy replied.

“Do you still see him? What happened?”

Aloy swallowed, and braced herself for the story to come. “The Nora have a tradition called the proving. All members of the tribe participate to become braves, and the winner gets a boon. Whatever they want. I participated, and won.”

“Of course you did,” said Talanah, grinning.

Aloy chuckled uneasily. “It felt good, but then we were all attacked by these men in robes and masks, some kind of cultists. I was the only survivor,” Aloy took a shaky breath. “Rost saved me, and died trying.”

“I’m… I’m sorry, Aloy,” said Talanah, her voice soft and low. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked you.”

“It’s okay. If I wasn’t okay with you knowing, I wouldn’t have said anything,” Aloy sighed. “The worst part was that he was still an outcast, so they did nothing. They gave him a grave outside our home, and never acknowledged him otherwise.”

“Your Matriarchs sound like they’d get along with Ahsis just fine,” said Talanah, giving Aloy a sympathetic look. “You really have been through a lot.”

Aloy nodded, and took another deep breath. “It hurt for a long time, and still does. For a long time Rost was the only person I had. I had no one, not even a mother."

Talanah blinked. “You didn’t have a mother?”

“None that I know of. That’s actually why I was an outcast. The Matriarchs found me outside this metal door with no mother anywhere.”

“They made you an outcast for that? No wonder you don’t like being called Aloy of the Nora.”

“That would be why,” said Aloy with a smirk. “I have… ideas about who she might be. When they finally told me about where I was found, I saw a picture of a woman. she looked like me, but with short hair.”

“Do you think that’s her?”

“I don’t know, but I want to find out. That’s actually why I came out here in the first place. I wanted to find this woman, and get some answers.”

“Well, if there’s ever anything that I can do to help,” said Talanah, resting her had on Aloy’s shoulder. She was really beginning to appreciate Talanah’s habit of doing that. “Just let me know. It’s the least that I can do after what you’ve done for me and my family.”

“Maybe just listen when I come by with more trophies,” Aloy smiled. “This is something I have to do on my own, but it’s good knowing you’re there as a friend.”

Talanah grinned. “I can definitely do that.”

Aloy forgot about her soup as her and Talanah talked into the night, sharing stories about their hunts, Talanah talking about her family and Aloy about Rost, Erend, and the people she had met on her journey. Aloy’s eyes would occasionally drift to the setting sun. It was beautiful; the way the world around them glowed in its light, and the reds, oranges, yellows, purples, and blues that filled the sky. Despite that, it was getting harder and harder for Aloy to ignore that for all its beauty, it was only the second most beautiful sight that evening.


	5. A Lesson Not Learned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aloy's been busy in the time since she helped Talanah become Sunhawk, saving Meridian, coming face to face with the Shadow Carja, and uncovering secrets of the past. Rost's lessons have served her well, but there were some lessons he never taught, like how to deal with certain blossoming feelings.

It was noon in Meridian, and there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky. The gold on the gates around the city seemed to glow with reflecting sunlight, and Aloy could feel the heat from the ground through her boots. She could see it shimmering off of the ground in the parts of the city where there were no shade. She could hear the Oseram merchants and workers complain about how hot it was, while the Carja artisans snickered and talked behind their backs. Aloy found herself relating more closely to the Oseram; while she had no particular love for the Nora or the settlements in the embrace, she missed the cool breeze. She missed seeing the first snowfall. She missed having a reason to wrap herself with furs and sit down in front of the fire, sipping on Rost’s homemade cider.  In Meridian, that seemed like as sure a way to die of heatstroke as anything else.

Yet, as much as Aloy disliked the heat, other issues weighed on her mind as she made her way over to the lifts.

Amongst them were the usual ones: the seemingly endless tasks people asked for her help with, the select few whose company she enjoyed, the irritation that came from talking to Sylens for any more than a minute at a time, and knowing that after the Grave Hoard she was getting close to discovering the truth about Zero Dawn, and perhaps who she was. Of late, her Hawk had been taking up far more of her thoughts as well. She tried to just write it off as a deep admiration and mutual respect for a while. It was only normal to think so highly of someone that good with a bow, after all. As they got to know each other better, Aloy assumed this was the normal, friendly affection you had towards someone who genuinely understood you.

Aloy threw the switch to send the lift down to the village, and looked out. With the sky so clear she could see for what felt like miles, even catching the sun’s reflection off of the water that divided the land from the west. She sighed. _I don’t think just friends make your skin tingle where they touch you, make your heart race with their laughter, or make your head swim with how they smell._

She felt guilty. Since the big celebration feast at the Lodge when Talanah formally became Sunhawk, Aloy had been good about visiting. She’d pass through the big doors, and have a seat underneath the Thunderjaw, trading stories with Talanah. She’d talk about her latest kill, the story behind some new trophies she got, or how she told off a noble sneering about how awful it was to have a woman as Sunhawk. Aloy would tell her about some of the new places she’d explored, some of the new things she’d discovered about the world, and some of the things she had been roped into. She remembered vividly how Talanah had paid for everyone’s drink the day she and Erend captured Dervahl, or how she crushed her with a hug when she helped free Itamen.

The visits became less and less frequent with time, though. Part of it was the demands of the discoveries that she was making about… everything; the world, the old ones, and herself. The other part of it was that it was becoming more and more difficult to talk to Talanah. She had faced down the most dangerous machines the world had to offer, dealt with harsh judgment from the world around her, and had seen secrets that would shake even the most devout. Yet here she was, getting knots in her stomach and breaking into a sweat every time they talked. Feeling her pulse go faster every time she noticed something new about her, like how a few strands of Talanah’s hair always came out of her ponytail and framed her face just so, the way one corner of her mouth would turn up slightly before the other when she smiled, or the muscle definition on her stomach.

It didn’t help that she was running low on time, either.

 _All the lessons Rost taught me, but he didn’t give me a heads up about any of this_. Getting out of the lift, Aloy imagined he’d probably be amused by the whole thing. Perhaps she’d tell him all about it the next time she went to visit.

Aloy took in a deep breath as she stepped into the village. The view in Meridian proper was incomparable, and the grand buildings and opulent fixtures certainly had their charms. Of course, so did the village. There was greenery, both in the forests and in the fields, that was lacking up high, and made the air in the village taste that much fresher. Even if there was no shortage of the same old prejudices, people seemed to be less… pretentious down here as well, which suited Aloy just fine. The merchants were also less likely to try to rip her off.

Aloy kept her eyes peeled as she headed over to the docks. She figured it couldn’t hurt to ask someone for their advice, but didn’t have many people she could go to see. For a time she considered Erend. She respected him and cared for him like a brother, but it was pretty clear that he had thoughts of something more, and even as inexperienced as she was she didn’t want to hurt him. Varl was back in the embrace, and probably wouldn’t be too thrilled to talk about her affections for a Carja. She’d had some good talks with King Avad, but after what happened with Ersa and some of the things he said to her, Aloy wasn’t certain that was a good idea.

That left one other person.  Aloy sat down at the end of the dock and crossed her legs. The water was a rich blue, and looked incredibly inviting in the midday heat. Aside from some reeds and some fish swimming about (which might make a good meal for later tonight), it was completely clear as well. Unfastening her boots, Aloy placed him beside her on the dock and dipped her feet in. She sighed contentedly as the cool water already seemed as though it was working his magic.

Then a familiar face popped up from the water, catching Aloy by surprise. “You know, little huntress, there’s nothing stopping you from coming in for a swim.”

“Vanasha!” Aloy grinned. “I didn’t know you were here already.”

“Really? I’d have hoped you know by know that I’m always where I need to be,” Vanasha smirked. “So are you going to come in, or are you going to sit there and pretend like you care about getting wet?”

Aloy slipped off her armor’s headpiece, and stood up. Deciding that she felt like making an entrance of her own, she flipped forward into the water, the landing just slightly off. The water in the village was never terribly cold, but for a moment it still felt like a shock after the intense heat. It only took mere seconds, though, for Aloy to adjust and savor the refreshing feeling that seemed to seep into all of her muscles. She threw her hair back as she surfaced, the sun actually feeling nice after the dive.

“Nice moves. Was that for me, little huntress?” Vanasha teased.

“I just didn’t want you to completely show me up,” Aloy chuckled.

“A girl who can keep up. I like that,” said Vanasha, treading water. “So then, you mentioned you needed to talk to me about something. At this point I probably owe you more than that, but you won’t see me complaining if you just want to chat and swim.”

“Well, it’s nothing like abducting a princess, rescuing a fugitive, or killing a high priest,” said Aloy. “It’s more of a personal issue.”

“Well, I’m flattered that you came to me then,” Vanasha beamed. “What is it, dear?”

They hadn’t known each other for a terribly long time, but there was just something so genuine and personable about Vanasha that Aloy felt like she could trust her. She also got the impression that when it came to things like this, she probably had a pretty good idea of what she was talking about. “So, Vanasha, I’ve been kind of wondering, how do you let someone know you like them as… well, more than just liking them?”

Vanasha laughed, and playfully splashed Aloy. “Everything you’ve done and you’re asking me about that? You really are something. Still, it’s not something you need to overthink, little huntress. Being direct with men usually works well enough, and unless you’ve decided to fall for some stuck up noble I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t be thrilled to have your attention. So who is it?”

Aloy felt her face getting hotter, and suddenly felt very tempted to dive back under the surface. “Actually, they’re… not a man.”

Vanasha nodded, and smirked. “Actually, I can see that. Either way, we’re not so different. I know I have a pretty clear idea about whether I like someone or not, and I’m sure you do too. That also doesn’t answer my last question.”

Aloy decided she found it much easier to continue the conversation with her attention focused on a particularly large tree on the opposite shoreline. “I don’t think you know her, but she’s the Sunhawk of the Hunter’s Lodge. Her name is Talanah.”

Vanasha shot Aloy a look that was partly surprised, and partly impressed.  “I don’t suppose you’re the ‘Nora savage’ I hear people chatting about who helped that _woman_ ” she said in a tone of mock horror, “become Sunhawk?”

Aloy reflexively cringed at ‘savage’, even if she knew Vanasha  wasn’t calling her that, and swam over to shallower water to give herself a break from treading. “I guess I’ve got a reputation, huh?”

“One that’s only going to grow when that same outlander starts being seen with a Carja noble. You really do like making your own way in this world, don’t you?” Vansha giggled. “I had a feeling that you really were something special,” she continued, swimming over closer to Aloy. “If I wasn’t so preoccupied with a certain fugitive, I might be a bit jealous of your ‘friend’ there.”

“Thanks,” said Aloy with a smile, not entirely sure how else to respond. “So what’s the best way to do this? I’ve spent most of my life as an outcast, so that didn’t give me a lot of chances to figure this out on my own.”

“Well, how about you start by telling me how she acts when she’s around you.”

Aloy wasn’t even sure where to start, since she had no real idea what Talanah was like when she wasn’t around. “I guess I’ve noticed her smiling more the past few times I’ve seen her. If we go hunting together, she used to just tell me to meet her back at the Lodge, but now she makes camp with me. She touches my arm a lot,” said Aloy, reaching her hand to her shoulder as though Talanah’s hands were right there. “She’ll try to look after me too if I’m ever injured when I show up to the lodge. Something about a Hawk needing to look after her Thrush.”

Vanasha blinked slowly. “Do you really need me to state the obvious, little huntress?”

“What?”

“I don’t see how I, or her, for that matter, can really make things and clearer to you. Maybe some of it is just friendly, but if that’s what she’s been doing, then the only strange thing is that she hasn’t said something to you already,” said Vanasha. “So what’s stopping you?”

“Having the right words, for one,” Aloy laughed nervously. “I’ve also got some things that I need to do. Things where I’m not entirely sure what might happen. That I’ve been told there’s no coming back from. I don’t know if I should even be bringing this up right now, because of that.”

“Little huntress, if you want my opinion, and that _is_ why you asked me here, that’s exactly why you should be doing it. I’ve seen the kind of person you are, and what you get up to. If you say you don’t know what’s going to happen, that says a lot,” said Vanasha. “If something does happen, you don’t want to miss the chance you have right now. As for what to say, how do _you_ feel when you’re with her?”

“Understood,” said Aloy almost immediately. “Respected. Cared about. I feel good that there’s someone else who understands how ridiculous some of the divisions we make are. I feel peaceful when it’s just us, alone. I feel like I have someone I can count on. I… she’s beautiful, too.”

Vanasha smiled. “Then I think I’m done here. And I think now you owe me a drink for having to tell you something as plain as the sun.”

Aloy laughed. “All right. Just a bit more of a swim, first?”

“Wonderful.”

\--

The sun was setting as Aloy came back to Meridian proper, which she was immensely grateful for. There was something beautiful about the way Meridian looked when it was bathed in torchlight. Maybe it was the way that she shadows danced along the walls, maybe it was the way the streets seemed that much more colourful than in harsh, direct sunlight, or maybe it was just that it wasn’t so damned hot. Either way, Aloy enjoyed taking in the sight of sandstone seeming to glow orange and yellow in the firelight. She also enjoyed the quiet that came with the merchants packing away their wares for the night. Not quite silence, as Meridian was never truly silent, but something entirely more peaceful.

She found it somewhat ironic, then, that she was stepping in to one of the places in Meridian that was bound to be more raucous. Sure enough, at the bar below the Thunderjaw hunters were drinking and singing songs, there was a line up at the armory, and at the benches and sofas along the side hunters were enthusiastically sharing stories or boasting about their performance at the trials.

“Good to see you again, Aloy,” said Ligan. “We haven’t been seeing you around as often as we used to.

“Hi Ligan,” said Aloy. “Sorry, I’ve had to attend to some other things. It’s always nice to come back, though.”

Ligan smiled. “I can imagine so, knowing just what you’ve done for Meridian. I think Talanah would be quite happy to see you. She’s just upstairs by the altar.”

Aloy nodded. “Thanks, Ligan.” Taking a deep breath, she started the climb to the stairs. She thought that it must have been the first time she broke a sweat climbing those stairs, glancing out the balcony, sure enough, there was Talanah, kneeling and praying. Aloy felt her heart practically jump up into her throat, but waited. She knew that it wouldn’t make for a great start if the very first thing she did was interrupt her mid-prayer.

Wringing her hands, Aloy rehearsed what she wanted to say in her mind. _Talanah, I think you’re beautiful. No, that shouldn’t be the first thing you say. Talk about how you feel connected to her. No, that’s not it either. How about all of the things that she does for you? Maybe thank her for always looking out for you. But that’s not the most romantic thing. Ugh! Why does this have to be so hard? Easy for Vanasha to just say “don’t overthink it.” Should I have brought a gift? No, what would I even get her? I wish I remembered to get a trophy from that Deathbringer. How about-_

“Aloy! It’s been weeks!”

Aloy snapped to attention to find Talanah standing in front of her, grinning, and arms outstretched. The look in her eyes filled Aloy with warmth, and her lips, well… Aloy tried not to let herself get any more distracted then she already was. Throwing her arms around Talanah, she pulled her into a hug. Like that, everything she had been planning to say seemed to vanish from her mind as she rested her head on Talanah’s shoulder. Being close to her again felt wonderful, and left her with a fluttery feeling in her stomach. Reluctantly, she eventually let go, but noticed Talanah was still smiling. “Hi Talanah!”

“So how’s my Thrush been doing? Making the Lodge look good?”

“Trying,” Aloy chuckled. “I actually hunted a Deathbringer. Two of them.”

Talanah’s eyes went wide. “So where’s the trophy?”

“You aren’t going to believe this, but I actually forgot to take them with me,” Aloy smiled nervously. “There were… distractions there.”

Talanah blinked. “How could you get distracted from a trophy like that? Whatever it was must have been either very dangerous or very important.”

“ _Really_ important,” said Aloy. _Maybe I can tell you about it one day._

“So what brings you back to the lodge then? Have a story that needs sharing? Found a group of Behemoths you want to take on together?”

Aloy gulped. _This is it. No going back._ “It’s something that… can we talk someplace else?”

Talanah nodded. “We can. Just outside the lodge?”

Aloy shook her head. “Not just quieter. More private.”

Concern began to grow in Talanah’s eyes. “We can always go to the Sunhawk’s quarters. Is everything okay, Aloy?”

“It’s fine!” Aloy blurted out, perhaps more loudly than she would have liked to. “I’ll tell you when we’re there.”

Talanah led Aloy to a door near the front left corner of the lodge’s second floor, producing her key. Unlocking the door, she gestured for Aloy to come in. The first thing Aloy noticed was how spacious the quarters were; there was enough space for a table and two chairs, a sizeable bookshelf,  a rather large bed with silk, teal sheets, a sofa, a workbench cluttered with various machine parts, an imposing-looking armoire, a vanity with several ornate jars and containers, a fireplace, and a cooking grill to fit over it. The walls were adorned mainly with trophies from various machines; sets of horns from Chargers and Lancehorns, the heads of Stalkers and Ravagers, and hanging from the ceiling a reconstructed Glinthawk. What stuck out in Aloy’s mind even more than that was the way the whole room smelled just like Talanah. That same flowery scent that she’d grown to appreciate so very much, and that made her feel at once relaxed and at peace.

“Not bad, right?” Talanah asked. “I’ve almost gotten the stink of Ahsis out of the place. Did you know he actually kept a massive portrait of the Mad King right above his bed? It did save me from having to gather firewood for a few days, so it had some use.”

“I’ve never seen what it was like with Ahsis, but I like what you’ve done with it,” said Aloy, taking in all the trophies and breathing the scent in as deeply as she could manage.

“Growing up in a noble family, you learn a few things about how to decorate,” Talanah smiled. “So what did you need to talk to me about?”

“Right, that,” said Aloy, suddenly feeling her heart beating that much faster. “Talanah, you know I like, well, appreciate you, right? As a Hawk and as a friend?”

“I do. I’m very happy that you consider me as a friend.”

“Me too! Consider you as a friend, that is.” Aloy suppressed a groan. In any other case she would speak plainly, directly, and without fear, but was now tripping over her own words. “I also think you’re really good with a bow!”

Talanah looked a bit confused. “I appreciate it, Aloy, but I’m not sure why you brought me here to tell me what we both know about my archery.”

Aloy sighed. “This is off to a bad start…”

“What is?” Talanah asked, moving closer to Aloy. “It seems like something is really bothering you here. You know that you don’t have to feel nervous talking to me, right?”

“I know… maybe I should just start from here. Talanah, when I met you, I didn’t know what to expect from you. A lot of people write me off just because I’m an outcast, or a savage, or whatever else they’ve been told to think, but not me. You actually tried to get to know me. When you did, I saw that we had a lot of common, and I felt like we really understood each other,” Aloy smiled. “I don’t think that’s ever happened to me before.”

Talanah returned the smile, and rested her hand on Aloy’s shoulder. “I felt the same way too. So many people just accept the way things are, and don’t ever think about it. I saw that you didn’t care about that and wanted something better, too. Then when you told me what you went through, I didn’t feel so alone about what happened with my family.”

“There’s been more than that,” Aloy went on. “Whenever we hunted together, you always made sure to look out for me. If anything happened to me, you’d take care of me. That’s something I haven’t had in a long time. I also,” Aloy paused and took a deep breath, before removing Talanah’s hand from her shoulder and holding it in hers. She marvelled at the contrast between her tough, calloused fingertips and the softness of her wrist. “I also started to see just how beautiful you are.”

Talanah stiffened, and looked straight into her eyes. “Aloy…”

“I don’t know if you feel the same way. I don’t even know if you feel that way about women. I do know that I have things to do where I’m not sure when I can come back, so I needed you to know how I felt. Talanah,” Aloy stopped to take another deep breath. “I think I want to be more than friends.”

The next few moments felt as though they were going to crush Aloy at any moment. Talanah’s mouth hung open in what Aloy could only assume was shock, and her eyes flicked downward. Aloy closed her eyes, and braced herself for the worst while hoping at the very least that Talanah would let her down easy. She was certainly used to disappointment.

Then she felt Talanah take her other hand.

“Aloy… I was wondering when you were going to say something.” Opening her eyes, Aloy saw that the smile had returned to those beautiful lips of hers, wider than before. Her gaze was full of affection. “I knew things were going to be complicated. Being Sunhawk, I didn’t want to force things, either. Now, since you’ve said something, I can tell you I feel the same way,” she sighed. “I’ve felt the same way for a while.”

Aloy giggled. She felt a rush and a sense of satisfaction that matched some of her most intense hunts. Her mind briefly went back to the times they shared and was stunned she didn’t see it sooner. Vanasha had been right about Talanah, and Aloy couldn’t have been happier. “That’s… that’s great! So, what happens now?”

Talanah looked at her with half-lidded eyes, her smile softening. “May I kiss you?”

“Yes!” Aloy exclaimed, yanking Talanah close and hurriedly mashing her lips against hers, delighting in the fact that they really were as soft as they looked. Talanah made a muffled sound, but went along with it at first.

When they finally broke apart, Talanah chuckled and wiped at her mouth. “You’re new to this, aren’t you?”

Aloy suddenly found herself feeling very self-conscious, and looked down. “Yeah, I kind of am.”

She then felt Talanah’s fingers under her chin, gently tilting her head upward, and saw Talanah looking at her intently with that same affectionate gaze. “Sometimes a Hawk has to teach their Thrush. Here.” Talanah closed her eyes and parted her lips, and Aloy followed suit. She felt Talanah’s lips against hers, soft at first, gently moving against her own. Aloy moaned at the sensation, and tried to move her lips along with Talanah’s. As Talanah’s motions grew harder, hungrier, Aloy matched it. She felt a tug in her core when Talanah’s tongue brushed against her own, sending a pleasant shock through her entire body. The tug only grew stronger as Talanah placed her hands on her hips, thumbs brushing her waist. When they broke apart again, Aloy was breathless.

“Oh wow… I see what I’ve been missing now.”

Talanah laughed. “You’re doing good. Maybe you’d like a bit more practice, though?”

Aloy grinned. She had no idea what awaited the two of them down the road, or even tomorrow. Knowing that she’d be infiltrating Shadow Carja territory as part of her quest for answers, Aloy had no clue if she would even be around for this to last.

They could talk about it and figure it out tomorrow. For now, there were more pressing issues.

“I’d like that.”


	6. ...You're Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aloy was overjoyed when she found out that Talanah returned her feelings. So while Aloy's future holds more exploration, more danger, and more uncertainty, she takes the time to savor her latest discovery.

As Aloy began to stir, she thought to herself that she had the most wonderful dream.

She dreamt that after confessing her feelings to Talanah, that she returned them. Then they kissed for the first time, and then Talanah spent the rest of the night teaching Aloy all about kissing, touching, and everything that two women could do together.

She dreamt that after going to the point of complete exhaustion that they lay in bed and talked. Talked about how good everything felt, how they couldn’t wait to do it again, and the connection that had formed between them.

She dreamt that after a long conversation, Talanah wrapped her up in her arms and kissed her goodnight. That amidst the messy hair and tangled limbs she was content.

Then Aloy opened her eyes and noticed the arm wrapped her waist, and then the bare body nestled next to her own. She pinched herself. _Nope, not still dreaming._

She glanced over the room as she blinked the sleep from her eyes. Things mostly appeared the same, but there were some subtle differences that seemed to confirm that yes, that really did happen. The way the sheets on the bed had been kicked off to the side. The cutlery knocked off of the table. The pieces of armor and clothing that were scattered in small piles throughout the room. She desperately wanted to turn around and take in the sight she _really_ wanted to, of the woman holding her from behind, but didn’t want to wake her.

Then she felt the dampness on her shoulder, and couldn’t help but turn her head. Talanah was right there, close enough to make out every little mark on her skin. Her hair was down, and splayed over the pillow and across her face. The paint she wore on her lips and eyes had completely faded from last night’s activities. It was the first time she had seen Talanah without it, and Aloy thought she looked good without it. Granted, she also looked good with it. She just looked good regardless. Her lips were slightly parted, and Aloy smiled at the sight. She considered waking her up with a kiss, and then she noticed the wetness at the corner of her mouth, and figured out where the damp feeling on her shoulder came from.

Talanah was a drooler.

Despite really not wanting to wake Talanah up, Aloy just started laughing. The sight of this Carja noblewoman, this skilled, focused huntress drooling in her sleep was just far too amusing. The motion and sound was enough to jostle Talanah from her sleep, who moaned as she flexed and stretched against Aloy. “Mmmm… good morning.”

“Good morning,” Aloy grinned as she turned around to face Talanah. “You’ve got a little something right there,” she teased, gently poking at the corner of Talanah’s mouth.

“Sorry,” said Talanah sleepily, as she wiped at her mouth. “I didn’t get It on you did, I?”

“You did,” Aloy chirped, pressing a kiss to her mouth. “It’s pretty cute though, so I let it go.”

“Cute like your snoring?” Talanah smirked.

“Hey, I don’t snore,” Aloy protested. “I don’t, do I?”

Talanah laughed and pressed a kiss to Aloy’s forehead. “Like a Trampler.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Aloy groaned, burying her face in her hands. “I didn’t keep you awake, did I?”

“Not very much,” said Talanah, sitting up in bed and letting Aloy lay her head in her lap. Aloy closed her eyes as she felt Talanah’s nails against her scalp. “No more than you were keeping me up otherwise.”

Aloy covered her face with her forearm. “I still can’t believe we did all that. The ‘first time’ thing wasn’t too obvious, was it? Or too much?”

Talanah smiled. “You were pretty good if that was your first time. Not too much, either. It’s normal to be excited when everything’s new,” she said as she let her fingers trail Aloy’s body. She felt herself shiver at the sensation. “Or when the person’s something special.”

Aloy opened her eyes again, and looked up at Talanah’s face. “You know, for a long time I was getting pretty tired of being ‘special’, but you make it seem like it’s not so bad. More than that, even.”

“Good, then.” Talanah leaned down to kiss Aloy, who eagerly sat up to meet her lips. She was starting to get the hang of it; don’t go too hard at first, try to match her, build things up slowly, and don’t try to stick your tongue down her throat. She also discovered that for Talanah, there was a little spot on the back of her neck that she really enjoyed having rubbed when they were kissing. She had imagined before that must feel good, but she didn’t realize just how much there was to take in; the warmth between, the softness of her lips and the skin beneath her fingers, the tingle between her thighs, all of it just so satisfying. She didn’t plan on completely giving up thinking anytime soon, but she could understand what it was about affection like this that made some people do foolish things.

Especially if they tasted as good as Talanah.

Though their lips parted, Aloy pulled Talanah back down onto the bed, eyes locked with hers, fingers still caressing that spot on her neck. “So what happens now?” Aloy asked.

“You said there were some things you needed to do,” said Talanah, wrapping one of Aloy’s curls around your finger. “Would you want to tell me what those were?”

Aloy was somewhat hesitant. She didn’t even know if _she_ believed all of the things that she had found out. If anyone else was going to believe her (well, anyone who wasn’t actively insufferable), though, it would be Talanah. Slipping off her focus, she set it down beside the bed. “Do you remember how I said I was trying to find answers? About my mother?” Talanah nodded. “I’ve been looking in the ruins of the old ones with a man named Sylens trying to find that out.”

“You know, I could see your mother being an explorer. Explains a lot about you,” Talanah smiled, running her thumb over Aloy’s cheek.

“I wish it were that simple,” Aloy sighed. “I think she was a scientist named Elizabet Sobeck. She studied machines for a large tribe called a corporation, back in the time of the old ones.”

Talanah’s expression immediately turned to one of confusion. “That doesn’t make any sense. That was hundreds of years ago.”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. This woman looked like me, sounded like me, and somehow I’m able to get through doors only she was ever able to get through. I also know she worked on something that stopped the machines from destroying all life, Project Zero Dawn,” Aloy continued, sitting up in bed. “I know this all sounds like some ridiculous story, but I swear it’s all true.”

Talanah looked as though she was in thought a moment as she slid up to sit beside Aloy. “People probably would have said the same about a woman as Sunhawk, and a Nora as her Thrush, but we proved that wrong.” Aloy grinned. Just as she thought, if anyone could believe her, it was Talanah. “So where is this leading you now?”

“Sunfall. The Shadow Carja have been working with a cult called the Eclipse, who attacked the proving, and serve a metal devil called Hades.”

Talanah’s expression hardened. “That’s them? I wouldn’t put it above the Shadow Carja to work with them and serve a metal devil if they thought it could help them win back Meridian. What’s in Sunfall?”

“The place where Project Zero Dawn was built. I need to sneak in there, and learn just what happened. What it was, how it saved us, and how I’m connected to Dr. Sobeck. I don’t know what could happen there, though.”

“Not exactly a quick run to take down some Longlegs,” said Talanah. “I should be there to look after you.”

“I appreciate it Talanah, but I think this is something I need to do, need to discover myself.”

“I respect that,” Talanah nodded. A look of worry was still palpable in her eyes, but Aloy knew that Talanah wouldn’t go back on her word. “I won’t try to stop you either. Not that you would let me,” she added with a smirk.

“Definitely not,” Aloy smiled back.

“My own mother died when I was young, so if you think you have a chance to know about yours, then you have my support. If you can, though, I’d like to have a day with you,” said Talanah, pushing her hair out of her eyes. “I’m not complaining about last night, but after this finally happened,” she continued, picking up Aloy’s hand and layering kisses over her knuckles, “I think it’d be a shame if we didn’t have a day to ourselves.”

“A day would be great!” Aloy blurted, leaning in for a kiss. Sylens might not be too thrilled to have to wait another day for his curiosity to be sated, but Aloy didn’t particularly care about his feelings. Besides, she could always tell him that she was caught in a bad dust storm. “What would you want to do?”

“Well,” said Talanah, getting out of bed. Aloy tried not to get too distracted by Talanah’s lithe, athletic figure. “We’re going to have to deal with the lodge first. I don’t know what time of day it is, but someone needs to accept trophies. I’m sure there’ll be talk, as well.”

Aloy grimaced. “Talk?” _Were we that loud?_

“They saw the Sunhawk and her Thrush disappear into her quarters and never come back out. They’ll notice,” Talanah smirked.

“Does that bother you?” Aloy asked.

“You have a pretty good idea of where I stand on pointless traditions,” Talanah replied, sitting down at her vanity and reaching for a container. “Don’t tell me you’ve started to worry about it.”

Aloy chuckled, as she got out of bed and scanned the floor for her breast band. The plush carpet was an interesting new texture, and she thought that a fiery orange-red was quite the complement to Talanah’s teal sheets. “Not a chance.”

“Then maybe we can take a walk around the bazaar, or go visit the spire. Something new,” said Talanah, dabbing at her eyes with dark paint. “If you want to just go hunting together, though, you know I’m always happy to do that.”

“Maybe,” said Aloy, pulling up her underwear and adjusting her band. She paused from gathering the rest of her clothes to watch Talanah for a while as she applied color to her lips. Her fine, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and the firelight highlighted all of the right parts of her bare back. “I also like new things, though. We can always grab our things if we get bored.”

“Mhm,” said Talanah, testing out different pieces of jewelry. “Some of the vendors have some good food. Have you ever tried it?”

“Usually just eat my own,” Aloy replied, starting the process of braiding her hair. Most Nora let their hair grow into locks, but she always thought some had much better hair for it than others. Hers was not among them.

“We’re doing that, then. No offence to your rabbit stew, but you need to try it before you head out,” said Talanah. Sauntering over to Aloy, she leaned over to plant a kiss on her cheek. Aloy giggled and tried to stay focused on the braids. “You’ve already enjoyed your first taste of Meridian, right?”

Aloy had to start over.

\---

It was past noon when the two of them finally set out. Aloy was glad she convinced Talanah to let her braid her hair; it suited her quite well. She was a little surprised when she saw her slip into a dress, having never seen her in anything but her armor before last night. Talanah mentioned sometimes she liked something different, though, and she really did look elegant and beautiful in it.

As they approached the market, Aloy immediately noticed how things seemed much quieter. Usually there was a constant din of greeting, haggling, merchants shouting out their pitches to try to get customers to come by, and various conversations and arguments from the people moving from shop to shop. The noises hadn’t stopped today, but a noticeable amount of the conversation had given way to quiet stares and whispers. She gave Talanah’s hand a squeeze. She might have been new to romance, but Aloy was no stranger when it came to shrugging off the judgment of others. A quick glance at the satisfied, proud look on Talanah’s face reminded Aloy just why she had such a thing for her, and let her know that they were both on the same page.

“Unbelievable,” she heard a man mutter to his partner. “Why is that woman holding hands with some savage f-“

“This _woman_ , Aloy despite the Nora,” Talanah interrupted, turning her head to wink at Aloy, “stopped the plot against King Avad’s life, and delivered Prince Itamen to Meridian from the Shadow Carja.” Her voice was firm, but gave no indication that she was affected by the man’s words. “If seeing me with an outlander offends you, then go and complain at the palace. I’m sure they won’t think that’s a waste of their time.”

Grumbling, the man and woman stormed off. The display seemed to quell some of the curiosity around them, many of the customers returning to their own business.

Aloy smiled at Talanah, and tugged her hand a little closer. “Thanks. I almost hope someone else says something, just so I can see that again.”

Talanah rested her head on Aloy’s shoulder for a moment. “People like that are all words. The moment you challenge them, they run off like a startled Strider.”

Aloy didn’t know how it was possible that she was still finding more and more things that she liked about Talanah, but she did. If she had just thought they might be kindred spirits before, now she was absolutely certain. “So where are we going now?”

“This way,” said Talanah, leading Aloy through the bazaar. Brightly color awnings framed fresh vegetables, carts full of scrap and machine parts, artisanal pottery and metalwork, sacks full of fragrant, brightly colored powders, and flamboyantly dressed merchants hawking crates of “precious treasures from the ancient world”. The last one had Aloy especially skeptical. Eventually, Aloy noticed the smell of grilled meat as they made their way to a stand where the owner seemed to recognize Talanah.

“Hey, it’s the Sunhawk! The usual for ya?”

“Two of them,” Talanah replied. “My… guest here’s never tried your stand before.”

 _Guest?_ Aloy tried not to look too bothered by it. They'd need to have a conversation about just where they stood.

The man turned his attention to Aloy, eyes giving her a quick scan beneath large, bushy eyebrows. “Lucky you! You’re in for a treat, girl,” he grinned. “That’s 20 shards.”

Talanah reached in her pouch and handed them the payment, and return he gave Talanah two skewers of grilled turkey, onion, and tomato. She took a bite right away, and nearly burned her tongue for the trouble. She decided it was worth it though, as it tasted _good_. Growing up in the Embrace, the Nora didn’t both too much with seasoning, spices, or anything like that beyond some salt. Whatever they used here, though, was just perfect. By the time her and Talanah had walked over near the lifts to take in the view, Aloy had nearly finished hers. She grinned sheepishly as she noticed that Talanah had only taken a few bites of her own. “Sorry, it’s just really good. What is it?”

“Kebab,” Talanah replied, giving Aloy an amused look. “See what I mean about needing to try it?”

“I just wish I didn’t want this long,” said Aloy, leaning over the railing. Directly below was a view of the buildings in Meridian village, and various colourful crops. As she looked out further, there was the water, still so clear she thought she could see the bottom even from this distance. Further out still was the jungle, mist rising above the canopy from the humidity, blanketing the thick green leaves that seemed to stretch out for miles. Later still were the cliffs beyond the water that marked Shadow Carja territory. Regardless of her opinion of the people who took up residence there, it was still a sight to behold. The red earth and rock formations there were like nothing she had ever seen before, even traveling the desert up to Meridian. She never got tired of being able to survey the world around her like this. For as amazing as Sylens insisted the society of the old ones was, she much preferred the wide expanses of natural beauty that surrounded her wherever she went. It was the one thing that she knew she could always count on being there, and it made her grateful to be alive.

She shivered as Talanah slipped an arm around her waist, her fingers tracing circles along her stomach. “As much as I talk about being irritated with it, I do actually love Meridian and my tribe,” said Talanah, looking off into the distance herself. “I’m glad that we’re starting to become the kind of people I hoped we could be. A tribe that rewards excellence rather than being in the right place to the right family. A tribe that can honor our traditions without being enslaved to them. A tribe that can work with others and not slaughter them to try to prove some absurd point.”

Aloy smirked. “No offence, but you never struck me as the patriotic type.”

“Most people would agree with you. They think loyalty to the tribe is unquestioning obedience. I know what I believe, though,” Talanah smiled, pulling Aloy a bit closer. “Don’t think you haven’t been a part of the changes around here, either.”

Aloy snorted. “Right, the savage outlander.”

“Some people say that. Those people are fools. Many more speak your name with respect, though. That’ll only happen more often as you keep doing great things,” said Talanah. “I don’t know whether those people see the same things in you that I do, but I’ve seen the spirit you have. We’d be better off with more of it, no matter the tribe.”

Aloy giggled. She had learned not to rely on the validation of others long ago, but it still felt nice to hear sometimes. Especially from Talanah. “Thanks. You know I feel the same way too, right?”

“I do,” Talanah replied. Her expression then turned more serious. “So Aloy, I don’t want to dwell on this on this right before you go, so I want to say it now.”

Aloy turned to her side to face Talanah, who kept her arms around Aloy’s waist.

 “If something happens, then I’m glad we had some time together. I know if something happens though, you’ll find a way out of it. I’ve seen what you’re capable of. After all, you’re-“

“Not just any Thrush,” Aloy cut in, grinning. That brought the smile back to Talanah’s face, and she pulled Aloy close to kiss her. Aloy happily complied, draping her arms around her neck and moving her body flush against Talanah’s. She relished in the sensation of her tongue brushing against Talanah’s and the way her nails dug just slightly into her back. Both of them were smiling and giggling when they finally broke apart, the sun illuminating Talanah’s face in the most beautiful way.

“That’s right,” Talanah murmured, resting her forehead against Aloy. “You’re mine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might have just wanted to have a chapter of unabashed fluff. :) Hope you enjoyed! There might be a bit more of a delay before the next chapter than usual, but I'm with this to the end! Thanks so much for supporting this fic <3


	7. The Night Before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since Aloy last came to Meridian, she's had to face numerous challenges and discovered truths about herself and the world that changed everything she thought she knew. Now readying the city for one last stand against the Eclipse, Aloy hopes to find Talanah for a reunion.

As Aloy hurried back to Meridian, pushing the overridden Strider as fast as it could possibly go, she felt completely overwhelmed by her thoughts. It had felt far too long since the last time she saw Meridian, and in that time she had been taken by the Eclipse, escaped the Sun Ring, discovered the secret of her birth, fought off a military invasion, and had become practically worshipped by the people who once despised her. The last one especially made her feel sick to her stomach; their grovelling was every bit as dehumanizing as when they shunned her, as far as Aloy was concerned.

There hadn’t been even a minute to dwell on that, though. The Eclipse were ready to make a final assault on Meridian and the Spire, and if they were successful then they could wipe them all out: Nora, Carja, Oseram, Banuk, _everyone._ She had to warn King Avad before it was too late, and wasn’t going to let anything stand in her way. That included the sandstorm which was starting to set in. As the thick clouds blocked out the harsh sun, with the speed she was going, it felt like someone was jamming pins into her eyes and rubbing her skin raw. Aloy just grit her teeth and persevered. No matter how much it stung or how much she dreaded having to try to get the sand out of everything, right now this was the most important thing.

As she could see the outline of Meridian on the horizon, though, she allowed herself a single selfish thought: if this battle was going to be as final as it appeared it might, she wanted one more chance to see _her_.

The sun was beginning to set as she approached the gates of Meridian. Leaving her mount outside, Aloy dashed past the guards into the city. She nearly bowled over a Merchant as she charged past, running as fast she could to make it to the Sun Palace. As she ran, she felt the headpiece of her armor slip against the sweat on her forehead, and an ache in her legs from having ridden for so long. She was used to physical exertion, but the rush to get back had left her without rest for a good long while. She forced herself to push past it. They needed every minute, every second of  preparation they could get if they were going to stand a chance against what was about to come down on them.

Despite the heavy stakes, Aloy’s pace let up ever so slightly, and her gaze lingered for a moment on the Hunter’s Lodge as she ran past. Aloy wondered how she was doing.  What she accomplished. If in the midst of her duties, the Sunhawk thought about Aloy the same way she thought about her.

As much as she ached for a reunion, Aloy pushed past. There was too much at stake, and she didn’t have the luxury of putting her own desires first right now. As she dashed across the walkway to the Sun Palace, though, Aloy made a promise to herself, that no matter what happened in the coming battle, she was going to make sure that they saw each other again.

Now, though, there was work to be done.

\--

“You hear that? Nobody’s getting past the Vanguard! We’re here for Meridian!” Erend barked out in his gruff voice, before turning to look at Aloy, his expression softening. “And we’re here for you.”

Aloy smiled. Erend was tough, but she knew him well enough to hear the bit of doubt and anxiety that crept into his voice. If anything, it made her respect him more, knowing that he was willing to stand up even when he wasn’t sure they had a chance.  She was proud to have a friend like him. “Thank you, Erend. Ersa would be proud.”

“Only if we win,” said Erend. “Anything else you need to do?”

Aloy sighed. When she had been told that there had been people looking to help her out in this last stand against the Eclipse, she was floored. She was still floored when she inspected defences at the village and at the spire, and found the people she had been fortunate enough to meet on her journey; Varl, Vanasha, Erend, Uthid, and a number of others were all there for her.

There was one exception.

As she left the palace, Aloy saw that the Hunting Lodge was locked, not even the usual din making its way through the door. When she checked around the city, Aloy found no trace of her. She knew she had her duties as the Sunhawk, and that her role was to take care of the lodge, but it stung far more than Aloy wanted to let on to not see her. If this was going to be the last time-

“Uh, Aloy?”

She shook her head. “No, I think we’re as prepared as we can get.”

Erend nodded. “Right then. I’ll see you when they come.”

“Right,” said Aloy. With that, she began to make her way down the spire path, footprints and cart tracks all over the red earth, the only light coming from the stars and torches.  She questioned whether or not there was even a point in going back to Meridian, since she certainly wasn’t going to get any sleep. Her stomach felt like it was tying itself in knots, her muscles were tensed up as though the Shadow Carja had already arrived, and the ache in her heart was only amplified by the fact she swore she could catch a hint of that familiar floral scent.

As she made her way further down the path, though, it became stronger, and it was clear to her she wasn’t just imagining things.

Her heart starting to race, Aloy moved down the path faster. As she rounded the next corner, she gasped.

“Talanah? What are you doing here?”

Turning around, Talanah just smiled. “I’m your Hawk. Where else would I be?”

Almost instantaneously, Aloy flung herself at Talanah, who had opened up her arms to her. Aloy hugged her as tightly as she could manage, kissing her like it was the first time all over again, an uncharacteristic squeak escaping her as their lips touched. It was warm, it was familiar, and it felt _so good_. Talanah seemed just as enthusiastic to see Aloy, pressing her tongue past Aloy’s lips and running her fingers through Aloy’s hair. Aloy hummed happily, relishing in every single point of contact with Talanah. As she tried to break away for air, Talanah moved with her, keeping her lips pressed to Aloy’s. She wasn’t entirely sure how to describe the sensation that little gesture left her with, but Aloy knew she wanted to feel it again and again. The feeling of Talanah’s stomach under her fingertips as they traced the muscles was almost as good.

When they finally parted, Aloy still couldn’t pull her eyes away from Talanah’s lips, and immediately craved the feeling of them against her own once more. For now, though, she was content to just embrace her, taking in her touch, her scent, and her warmth. “I missed you, Talanah.”

“I missed you too, Aloy despite the Nora,” Talanah murmured, placing one last kiss on her forehead before finally letting her go.

“It’s so good to see you, but… shouldn’t you be defending Meridian with Avad?”

Talanah shook her head. “I leave that to the rest of the lodge. I will not stand aside while one of mine fights alone. Not again.”

Aloy’s heart jumped at Talanah referring to her as ‘one of mine’. Yet in spite of that, and in spite of her joy at seeing here again, there was still a part of her that desperately wanted her to stay in Meridian and fight there. She knew how capable Talanah was, but also knew that surviving on the front line was that much harder. “Talanah, are you sure you-“

Aloy found herself silenced by another kiss from Talanah. “You’re risking your life, for all of us. You can’t ask me to stand by and watch,” she declared, brushing a thumb across Aloy’s cheek. “Not when I have the power to change it.”

“Then I won’t ask you.”

Talanah stepped back. “It’s settled. I will fight by your side. My only request...”

“Name it.”

Talanah smiled. “Leave the biggest machine for me.”

Aloy smirked. Talanah really was up to facing any challenge, and that was one of the things that she loved about her. “No promises.”

Talanah chuckled. “It was worth asking.”

Aloy smiled, and glanced at the sky. It was getting dark, and she did need to at least try to have some time off her feet so she could be ready for battle tomorrow.

Then a thought crossed her mind. “I have a request of my own,” said Aloy.

“Anything that you need.”

“Would you stay with me tonight?” Aloy asked, almost shocking herself with how forward she was being. “It’s not that I can’t face this on my own, but-“

“Aloy,” Talanah interrupted, taking her by the hand. “When I said that I wasn’t going to stand aside, I meant it. Not just against the Shadow Carja and the machines,” she said, gazing right into Aloy’s eyes. “If my Thrush needs me, then I am here.”

Aloy closed her eyes, sighing softly. She knew that she could face the questions, the anxiety, and the dread on her own, but just knowing that someone was there filled her with a sense of comfort that she hadn’t felt since she was a girl. Opening her eyes again, she gave Talanah’s hand a squeeze. “Thank you. I... it’s this way.”

\---

The bed in what used to be Olin’s house wasn’t quite as comfortable as Talanah’s, but it worked. The bedding was soft enough and spacious enough for Aloy to rest, even if she wasn’t able to sleep. She’d kicked the frayed sheets off the bed next to the heap of their clothing, her Hawk providing all of the warmth that she needed.

Talanah laid beside Aloy, one arm propping up her head up while another traced the length of Aloy’s body. Her skin tingled as Talanah’s fingers moved up her thighs and over her hip bone. Aloy marveled at the way the firelight made her lips shimmer as the talked. “I’m impressed. Taking down any Thunderjaw is an impressive feat, let alone one of those corrupted monstrosities. You say it turned the tide of the battle?”

“It did,” said Aloy, gazing up at Talanah’s face, her own fingers trailing over Talanah’s hipbones. When they lost their most dangerous machine, the rest of the Nora saw that we could win this, and started fighting like we could. Of course, it would have been more helpful if they did that earlier, but I guess that would make things too easy.”

Talanah laughed. “I always assumed you liked a challenge.”

“Not when it’s more challenging when it needs to be,” said Aloy drily.

“Did you get a trophy for me?” Talanah asked with a smirk.

“I did. If you’d like I can get up and grab it from my pack.” Aloy then felt Talanah’s hand pressing down on her.

“Definitely not now.”

She smiled. “I had a feeling. So, once we drove them off, we were in our sacred mountain, and there was the door I had been trying to open. Even after the battle, one of the Matriarchs still didn’t want me in, but I entered anyways.”

“Good,” said Talanah, letting her fingers drift up Aloy’s ribs. “I’m glad you didn’t let her stop you.”

“I don’t think she could have if she wanted to,” Aloy continued, leaning in ever so slightly to Talanah’s touch. “Once I came out, her and everyone else? They fell to their knees and started calling me ‘Aloy the Anointed’.”

Talanah raised an eyebrow, her hand stopping for a moment. “What was that like?”

“Oh, well you know,” said Aloy. “it’s just great when a bunch of people who didn’t even think you were worthy to talk to them start grovelling instead of treating you like a person!” She sighed. “I think I felt more welcome when they saw me as an outcast.”

“Another case of people caring more about titles than people,” said Talanah, rolling her eyes. “I assume, then, that calling you Aloy the Anointed is out of the question?”

Aloy groaned and rolled over onto her back. “Don’t even think about it.”

Talanah just grinned and moved closer, planting a kiss on Aloy’s cheek and draping an arm over her waist. “Can I at least ask what you found behind that door?”

 _Dammit._ “Oh. Well, I found out about the metal devil the Eclipse have, and why he’s trying to get to the spire. The whole thing is a really long story. Now’s probably not the best time.”

Talanah nodded. “Whatever you want, Aloy.”

Mixed emotions filled Aloy’s head. On one hand she was relieved that Talanah wasn’t going to press the issue any further. Everything she found out, not only about the world but about herself, was so overwhelming that there wasn’t any chance that she could get through it all tonight. She didn’t even know that she was ready for it. On the other, a piece of her wanted Talanah to know about her, if nothing else. She knew that she certainly didn’t owe Talanah an explanation about her existence, but with how accepting Talanah had been up until now, she hoped that this would be something that she _could_ share. She wanted to see if knowing would change anything between them.

As Aloy mulled over her feelings, she felt Talanah move even closer, her gentle breaths warm against her shoulder. She really was remarkable. Talanah was protective and reliable, but never looked down on her or doubted her capabilities. She faced the judgment of other courageously, refusing to let backward thinking tell her what she could do or who she could be. Talanah embraced those same qualities in her as well, being one of the few people to actually see her as Aloy. Though she’d been called many things and seen in many different lights, Talanah not only accepted her but even seemed to adore her for it.

She had to know if this would change things.

“When I was in there… I found where I came from.”

Talanah seemed to snap to attention, sitting up beside Aloy. “Your mother was still alive?”

Aloy shook her head, and took a deep breath. “No. Dr. Sobeck died trying to make sure humans had one more chance at survival.”

Talanah reached a hand over to stroke Aloy’s cheek. “I’m sorry, Aloy.”

“Thanks,” Aloy replied quietly, holding Talanah’s hand to her face as she sat up next to her. “I did find out that she was my mother, in a way. She used a part of herself for me. They called it her genes, I think.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Aloy bit her lip nervously. “I mean that she never actually gave birth to me. An intelligent machine named Gaia used that part of her to create me.”

Talanah blinked, her hand falling from Aloy’s cheek. “The machine in your sacred mountain gave birth to you?”

Aloy turned away.  She was always one for speaking directly, but in this case wanted to think of a different way to phrase it, one that could perhaps take the bite out of that truth. Despite her efforts, no words came to her. “Yeah. Yeah, it did.”

Not even a second later, she felt a hand on her shoulder. “Aloy, you know this changes nothing between us.”

Aloy looked back at Talanah. There was no judgment, horror, or disgust in her expression, only genuine concern. “It doesn’t?”

“Trying to understand how this is all possible is a lot to try to figure out, I admit, but I’ve never seen you as anything other than Aloy, and I’m not going to stop seeing you like that that now,” said Talanah. “However you came to be, you’re still the huntress, the Thrush the friend that you’ve always been to me.”

Aloy swallowed. “A friend?”

“More than that,” Talanah murmured, leaning in to kiss her softly and slowly. “Being away with you after the time we’ve shared… I’ve come to realize just how much more than that you are. Whatever comes tomorrow, I know my place is with you, Aloy despite the Nora.”

Aloy pulled Talanah close, holding her tightly. “I wouldn’t want you anywhere else, my Hawk.” Her hands brushed up and down her back, and she breathed in her scent deeply. She was relieved, comforted, and overjoyed all at once. In spite of all her worries, Talanah truly was the person Aloy believed her to be. 

Ever since she set out on her journey., Aloy never really had a place to call her own. For the first time since Rost’s death, though, Aloy truly believed that when all was said and done, she’d have a place to call home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this took way longer than I planned! One of those things where life kind of got in the way. This chapter's done, though, and there's just one more to go! Thank you so much to everyone who's read, and left comments and kudos. :)


	8. The Last Stand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Eclipse have attacked, and HADES has seized control of the spire. Aloy and her allies make one last push to destroy HADES. Meanwhile, if they have a chance to rebuild, Aloy hopes for a place for her and Talanah.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnnd done! This is the final chapter folks, and has a reimagined grand finale along with an epilogue. Thank you so much for your support! It always makes me happy to see other people who love this pairing. Hope you enjoy the end of this story. :)

Aloy grunted as she climbed her way up the ruins of the spire path, her hands rubbed raw by the rough, blasted stone. She had always been a natural climber, but the wounds and bruises she had sustained fighting Helis and defending the village ached, and slowed her ascent. As she neared the peak, she could already hear the sounds of fighting, and desperately hoped she wasn’t going to be too late. She knew her friends and allies were able to handle themselves in a fight, but she also knew that they had never faced something quite like HADES.

They had failed to completely halt the advance of the Eclipse in the village, and as a result they left a path for them to bring HADES up the mountain to the spire. It wasn’t just about fighting off the machines and cultists anymore. They could put in arrow in every last member of the Eclipse and take down every machine that was thrown at them, but if they couldn’t stop HADES in time, it wouldn’t matter. Every living thing would be eaten by those monsters, including everyone she ever cared about.

Aloy wasn’t going to let that happen.

 _Just a bit further_ … With one last grunt of exertion, Aloy climbed over the last ledge, dropping down behind some stone ruins. Looking at the base of the spire, glowing red tendrils wrapped into the ground like tentacles, there it was. The metal devil. The machine that GAIA had given her life to stop. The demon that could very well destroy the world once again. HADES.

Aloy was used to frightening situations, and had faced death several times. She couldn’t ever be described as easily intimidated. Yet, when so close to that… demon… she felt her blood run cold. It wasn’t just her life at stake – it was everyone’s. The chill only grew as a thunderous, terrible voice filled the air. “Arrival of entity… has been anticipated. Entity… will not halt transmission.”

Standing at attention, the tendrils seemed to make their way over to her, floating around her, scanning her. “To contrary, calculations are precise. Presence of Entity… has been accounted for.”

Aloy then heard the sound of hydraulics and readying weapons. Turning to her side, a Deathbringer came to life. _That’s okay. You’ve fought Deathbringers before, you can defeat one now._

Then she noticed the red tendrils wrapping itself around the machine. It was corrupted.

_It can never be easy, can it?_

Aloy dove behind cover, and started readying a set of tearblast arrows. As she prepared, she saw arrows flying overhead, striking the Deathbringer repeatedly. Glancing back, she saw Erend advancing, while Varl and Sona fired at the machine. Standing beside them firing was Talanah.

Despite the situation, Aloy grinned. With all of them working together, this fight might be winnable after all. “Still need to get the biggest machine, huh Talanah?”

“You know I do!” she replied, nocking another arrow.

“All right everyone,” Aloy called out, “aim for its weapons!”

“You heard the seeker,” Sona shouted. “Destroy it!”

As Aloy saw a salvo of arrows fly out at the Deathbringer’s cannons, she had readied a tearblast arrow, and fired it right at its target. The unmistakable sound rang out, but the weapon remained attached. She needed some more firepower. This time, she nocked two arrows at once, and fired it at the cannon. This time, as the blast sounded, she could see it start to come loose, and then saw it finally blasted off by her allies’ arrows.

There was scarcely time to target the next cannon, though, as a barrage of missiles hit the stone Aloy hid behind, destroying her cover and knocking her back. Short of breath, Aloy scrambled to her feet and immediately looked for more cover, rolling behind another piece of the ruins. Bullets filled the air as it tried to fire at Sona and Varl, who split up to try to divide the machine’s attention. Meanwhile, Talanah moved beside Aloy, and started firing at the machine.

“Nice seeing you again,” said Aloy, hastily putting together more tearblast arrows.

“It always is,” Talanah replied, ducking to dodge missile fire. “We’ll have to save the pleasantries for later.”

“I know,” said Aloy, popping out to fire tearblast arrows at the second cannon. “Just thought I should say something.”

“Appreciate it!” said Talanah, popping out. Both of them firing now, the huntresses matched each other’s rythmn nearly perfectly, one firing as the other nocked their next arrow. Before long they had destroyed the second cannon, and Talanah had seamlessly followed Aloy’s lead to firing at one of the leg joints, eventually buckling the massive machine.

“Nice shot, Aloy,” Talanah called out. “It seems your Hawk’s taught you very well.”

Aloy smiled. “Well, she wouldn’t admit it, but she actually learned from me.”

“Making up stories now? That’s unbecoming of the Hunter’s Lodge,” Talanah replied with a chuckle.

Their banter was interrupted by Sona’s voice. “On your guard! The metal devil summons more machines!”

 _Nope. Can never be easy._ She knew that their biggest advantage was numbers right now, and if they allowed themselves to be overwhelmed, the fight was as good as over. “Everyone focus on the new machines!” In the meantime, Aloy scanned her surroundings. Wherever they were, it seemed they hadn’t found where she was hiding just yet.

“Aloy! Look out!”

Before she could see what was going on, she was shoved hard to the ground. Rolling on to her back, she was just able to catch a glimpse of Talanah readying an arrow, only to be bowled over by a charging Ravager. The impact sent Talanah flying into the clearing in the middle, right in the sight of the Deathbringer.

“TALANAH!” Aloy shrieked. She was prepared for the possibility that last night may have been the last time she saw Talanah, but not this way. It couldn’t be this way. She prepared to dash forward, but the Ravager had instead turned its attention to her, and blocked her path. Taking a deep breath, she took aim with her bow and worked out a plan in her mind. If she was going to get to Talanah in time, she’d have to blast off the cannon to protect herself, roll away just in time, run and grab her from the clearing, and somehow pull her to safety without getting caught between the Ravager and the Deathbringer. She took another deep breath, knowing just how slim her chances were. The cannon was starting to glow. She had to strike n-

A shower of sparks erupted from the Ravager’s head as a massive hammer struck it. _Erend!_ She scarcely had time to admire the blow before he started shouting at her. “I’ve got this one Aloy! If you’re going to save her, save her now!”

Aloy took off running as fast she could manage. By the time she was next to Talanah, she could see that the Deathbringer was completely focused on her. Frantically, Aloy grabbed at Talanah’s arm and pulled as hard as she could dragging her across the ground. It stung deep in her chest to hear the cry of pain that Talanah let out. Then she glanced up, and saw the salvo of projectiles the Deathbringer was sending their way.

“Shit!” Though her arms were on fire from exertion, adrenaline allowed Aloy to heave Talanah from the ground up on to her shoulders, as she dove behind the nearest cover she could find, doing her best to make sure Talanah would land on top of her. The shots had blasted away most of the rock, bits of shrapnel digging into Aloy’s arm, but it had been enough to protect the two of them.

She looked down at Talanah, feeling almost sick with worry. “Are you okay?”

Talanah winced. “I think that Ravager broke a rib. Or two.”

“You need a healer,” said Aloy, panic beginning to creep into her voice.

“I just need one of your potions,” Talanah grunted, trying her best to sit up. “If we don’t stop them now, then it won’t matter if I can find a healer.”

Aloy nodded, and grabbed a potion out of her back before handing it to her. “It should let you get back into the fight.”

“Then that’s good enough,” said Talanah, drinking the potion down as quickly as she could.

“It might take a little bit, but you should-“

Aloy was caught off guard by an arrow whizzing beside her head. Glancing behind her, a Scrapper fell to the ground, eyes dimmed. Looking back, there stood Sona, nodding at her.

“Thanks Sona! Do you see any more reinforcements?”

“Not for now,” she replied. “We need to refocus on the Deathbringer.”

“On it,” said Talanah, struggling to get back to her feet. “We should go after the legs. Aloy showed me how we can make that thing buckle.”

Sona glanced back at Aloy, visibly impressed. “That was you, then?”

“Us,” Aloy replied, reaching a hand out to help Talanah back up. “We should use fire arrows. We can disable it, and overheat it at the same time. Once its ‘heart’ comes out, we hit it with everything we have.”

Sona nodded, and then turned her attention to the Deathbringer. “Destroy the devil’s legs!” she commanded, firing the first shot. Meanwhile, Talanah and Aloy readied their arrows beside her, continuing their shooting. The fight continued, Aloy and her allies moving from piece of cover to piece of of cover, taking shots when they could. Erend defended the group, he and the rest of the Vanguard taking on any reinforcements that tried to come close.

Though the system was slowly wearing down the Deathbringer, Aloy couldn’t help but notice that Talanah was moving slower and slower. Eventually, Aloy offered Talanah her shoulder as they moved along.

Smoke was starting to emerge from the Deathbringer, the battle clearly taking its toll on the machine as well. Aloy could feel just how close they were to victory.

Then she heard the sound of a Corruptor. Aloy cursed to herself. Any machine would have posed a challenge in these circumstances, but a Corruptor was the last thing that they needed. _Okay, take one more shot at the Deathbringer, and then focus on the Corruptor. Talanah can take out the weapons while I try to get its attention._ Executing the plan, Aloy fired a shot which set the Deathbringer on fire. She silently cheered to herself. By the time she dealt with the Corruptor, the heat core would be exposed.

When she turned her attention to the Corrupter though, Talanah had broken from the group and moved right beside it, firing arrows and narrowly dodging tail strikes.

“Talanah!”

“Finish the Deathbringer! This one’s not the biggest, but I can take care of it!” Talanah called back.

“But-“

“There’s no time to argue!” She shouted back. “Do it!”

Aloy bit her lip. She was right. Readying more fire arrows, she turned her attention back to the Deathbringer. Varl had succeeded in getting its attention. She wasn’t going to have a better chance than this. She nocked two, and then three arrows at once, and took aim.

_Wait for it._

The machine continued to burn, its shots at Varl becoming more haphazard.

 _Wait for it_.

She could see the smoke coming from the machine growing thicker and thicker.

 _Wait for it_.

Finally, the heat core emerged, right in Aloy’s sights.

 _Now!_ Aloy loosed the three arrows, striking the target with all three. That was enough. The core ruptured, and the Deathbringer crumpled to the ground, a smoking, flaming wreck. Putting her bow away, she grabbed Sylens’ lance. It was time to finish this.

As she ran towards HADES, though, in the side of her vision, she saw Talanah and the Corruptor, still battling. The primary weapons had been shot off, and the machine was heavily damaged. The tail was still functional, however, and struck Talanah with full force, sending her skidding into a pillar.

“NO!” Aloy screamed. She stopped her advance. She wanted to run, wanted to make sure Talanah was safe, wanted to destroy that machine. She wanted it so badly it ached deep in her chest. She knew, though, that she couldn’t. She had a clear path to HADES, and the fate of the world depended on her. Just like Dr. Sobeck, her mother, did, Aloy had to put that first.

With renewed anger and hatred, she charged toward Hades, driving the lance right into its core. Lifting it up once again, she drove it deeper.

Then came a flash of white light.

\---

It hadn’t been a great deal of time when Aloy finally woke up again. She remembered seeing some sort of… vision, where she activated the override. She remembered the battle. She remembered-

“Talanah!”

Getting to her feet, Aloy ran to where she last saw the Corruptor. Frantically searching the area, she saw the destroyed remains of the machine, but nothing else. Dread began to set in. _Did more machines come? Did she manage to escape? Is she even still alive?_

“Aloy.”

Looking behind her, there was Erend, Varl, and Sona. Leaning on Sona’s shoulder for support, was Talanah. All of them looked worse for wear, but Talanah had it worst of all. She was bleeding from her nose and a gash on her head, her midsection was badly bruised, and her right leg was contorted at an unnatural angle.

Yet despite all that, all four of them were grinning.

“Y-you’re alive…”

“Of course I am,” Talanah chuckled weakly. “I wouldn’t abandon my Thrush that easily.”

“This one crushed that smaller demon’s legs,” said Sona, gesturing to Erend. “Varl dealt the killing blow.”

“My mo-, I mean, Warchief Sona helped Talanah out of the fight,” said Varl.

“We weren’t going to let anyone who stood up to those Shadow Carja bastards go down like that,” added Erend. “Especially knowing how important she was to you.”

Aloy blinked. “Important? You mean… you knew?”

“Yeah, I knew,” said Erend. “It’s the kind of thing people talk a lot about.”

“And it didn’t bother you?”

“I might have been sore about it at first,” said Erend, “but if you’re happy, then I’m happy.”

Aloy smiled. Just as she knew Erend well enough to tell when he was hiding something, she knew him well enough to know when he was being genuine. “Thanks, Erend. Thanks, all of you.”

“Thank _you,_ Aloy,” said Talanah. “We wouldn’t be standing here if it weren’t for you.”

Grinning, Aloy walked over to Talanah, taking hold of her from Sona, careful not to grab her too tightly. The five of them made their way over to the edge of the spire, looking out over Meridian. It would take time to rebuild, certainly, but thanks to what all of them had accomplished, they would have all the time in the world to do it.

Glancing over at Talanah, Aloy kissed her softly. With her, all the time in the world sounded perfect.

\---

_6 Months Later_

Aloy exhaled, taking in the sight of her own breath. Being out of the thick, humid air in the west made Aloy feel like she was truly breathing for the first time in a while. With the need to stop the Eclipse, she hadn’t had the chance to take in the sights of the Embrace during her last visit. Even bearing the scars from the battle, though, it was still a beautiful land. While the growth wasn’t as thick as the jungles of Meridian, the trees grew taller, and spanned all the way up the mountain ranges. The cold was present, but felt almost welcoming rather than overwhelming, and refreshed Aloy to her very core.

Feeling Talanah shivering against her, it was evident that she didn’t quite feel the same way.

Aloy giggled. “I never thought I’d see the Sunhawk of the Hunting Lodge shaking like this over a bit of new weather.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Talanah grumbled, leaning more into Aloy. “Most Carja have never visited Nora lands before. Our armor is designed to protect us and keep us cool, not deal with this.”

“It’s not even that cold out!” Aloy teased.

“Hmph.”

Aloy turned around and sure enough, for the first time Aloy had ever seen, Talanah was pouting. Bursting out into laughter, Aloy gave a tug to let the strider to know to stop. “If it’s too much for a delicate noble to handle, you can borrow some of my armor.”

Talanah narrowed her eyes. “I will be fine.”

“Right,” said Aloy. “Just so you know, though, it’s going to get colder. My old home is up on a mountain, and there’ll be snow, an-“

Talanah sighed, and slid down off of the Strider, digging around in the pack for something to change into. “Remind me to treat you the same the next time you’re struggling with the heat.”

“That’s fair,” said Aloy with a grin.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” said Talanah, finding some bushes to change discreetly. “I know that the Nora don’t have the best history with the Carja. Anything I should be prepared for?”

“Some of them have been known to throw things,” said Aloy. “They know you’re here to help rebuild, though. I doubt any of them will try anything with me around, anyways.”

“Aren’t I supposed to be protecting you, Thrush?”

“I just assumed we traded places in the fight with the Deathbringer,” Aloy replied with a smirk.

“From what I remember I saved _you_ ,” Talanah fired back.

“We’ll call it even, then.”

“That suits me,” said Talanah, stepping out from behind the bush. Aloy couldn’t help but grin at the sight of Talanah in her clothes. She wasn’t entirely sure why, but she felt utterly captivated.

“It’s not too much longer now. If we keep going we can make it by sunset.”

“Then let’s get moving,” said Talanah, climbing back on the strider and wrapping her arms around Aloy’s waist.

\---

“Still cold?” Aloy asked. “I can add some more wood to the fireplace.”

“I’m fine,” Talanah replied, sitting up on the bed and pulling the furs on the bed around herself a little bit tighter.

“I’ll be there soon,” said Aloy, filling two clay cups with cider. As much as she resented her status as some holy figure to a number of the Nora, she was glad they had fixed the old house she and Rost shared up for her. Frankly, she thought it was the least they could do for her after all the trouble she’d been through because of them. Regardless, she was happy for the new furs for the bed, the restored fireplace, and the modest furniture that had been provided for them.

Slipping under the covers, Aloy cuddled up next to Talanah, handing her one of the cups and then draping an arm around her shoulder. “How about now? Warm enough?”

“Getting better,” said Talanah with a smirk as she leaned into Aloy. Taking a sip of the cider, she immediately scrunched up her face as the liquid touched her lips. “So, is this what everyone drinks in Nora lands?”

“You don’t like it?” Asked Aloy.

“It’s a bit sour.”

“It’s supposed to be a little bit sour,” Aloy chuckled, taking a sip herself before nearly spitting it out. “Okay, not that sour.”

Talanah laughed. “That’s okay, the company is the best part right now, anyways.” Setting her drink on the floor beside her, she nestled up next to Aloy, resting her head on her shoulder. “Thank you for bringing me with you, Aloy. I know that sometimes you have some things that you need to do on your own, but it’s good to be with you.”

“Thanks for understanding, Talanah. With Doct… with my mother, it was different. That was my journey, and I was glad that I could be alone for that,” said Aloy, stroking Talanah’s arm with her fingers. “I like that I could share this, though. The place where I grew up, all of the things that made me who I am, I want to show you that the way you’ve shown me Meridian, and the things that made you… you.”

“Then I’m honoured,” said Talanah, planting a kiss on Aloy’s cheek. She smiled at how warm Talanah’s lips felt against her skin. “I’ll admit I’m not certain how to feel about visiting the village tomorrow with what you’ve told me, but I’ve never been one for assuming things about others.”

“It’s one of my favourite things about you,” said Aloy, kissing her on the forehead. “They’re not all bad. You’ve met Sona and Varl before.”

“I have. They’d make great members of the lodge.”

Aloy smiled. “Well, they’ll be there. Matriarch Teersa will be too, and she always looked out for me.”

“Showing me off?” Talanah asked, gently poking Aloy in the ribs.

“Maybe a little bit,” Aloy giggled. “There’s one other person I want to introduce you to as well.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. You’ll get to meet him in the morning,” said Aloy. A slight feeling of nervousness grew in her stomach. Knowing who it was and what she was planning made her anxious that now there wasn’t any turning back. Still, she was ready.

Talanah spoke after a break in the conversation. “So when we finish helping the Nora rebuild, what happens then?”

“What do you mean?”

“Will you stay here?” Asked Talanah. “Your path is your own, and while I want to watch over you, I’d never want to stand in the way of it.”

Aloy smiled softly. “I don’t know. I think I’d like if you did that, though. Um, watching over me, I mean.”

“That’s good then,” said Talanah, pulling Aloy into a deep kiss. Somehow every time she kissed her, Aloy found herself more and more enthralled. “Because a Hawk-“

“Never abandons their Thrush,” Aloy finished, pulling Talanah onto the bed.

\---

Talanah was waiting impatiently by the door the next morning, sunlight coming in through the tiny gaps in the wood. The fire last night had died down to embers, and Aloy was hurriedly getting dressed.

“I thought there was someone important I needed to meet today?” Talanah teased.

“There is!” Aloy replied from the bed, struggling to get her boots on. “You’re the one who let me sleep in.”

“I didn’t want to disturb you,” Talanah shrugged. “You also looked really cute.”

Aloy felt her cheeks getting hot. Though they had been together for some time now, she still wasn’t used to the feeling of Talanah complimenting her. “Just hold on!”

“No response? That makes me the winner, then,” Talanah laughed.

Finally making her way over to Talanah, Aloy indignantly gave her a peck on the lips. “There. Happy?”

“I’m satisfied for now,” said Talanah, a smug grin on her face. “So where are we going?”

“No place far,” said Aloy, opening the door. The air was cool, but not frigid, a few snowflakes falling to the ground. As far she was concerned, it was a perfect day. “It’s right by the house, actually.”

“Are we seeing that strange old woman you told me about?” Talanah asked, following out the door.

“No. She’s … not much for conversation,” Aloy began. “Neither is who we’re seeing, but he’s a good listener.”

The pair stopped only a short distance away from the home in front of a well-tended stone. Aloy knelt down in front of the stone, and Talanah followed suit, although by her expression Aloy could tell she was confused.

“Hi Rost,” Aloy began. “A lot’s happened since my last visit. I wanted to come by again and tell you all about it.”

A look of realization then spread across Talanah’s face, and her expression turned solemn.

“The people who tried to destroy the Nora, and awaken all the old machines? The Eclipse? I found a way to stop them, and then all of us managed to finally end it. It took a lot of fighting, but everyone’s safe now. I wanted to thank you for teaching me everything,” Aloy continued, smiling. “I don’t know if I could have done it all without you. I finally found mom, too! I think you would have really liked her. She’s a lot like me,” said Aloy. “Well, maybe she would have driven you a bit crazy then,” she went on with a chuckle.

Talanah laughed along with Aloy. Aloy thought for a moment about how she had a beautiful laugh.

“The Eclipse still did a lot of damage, but we’re rebuilding. Carja, Nora, Oseram, Banuk… we’re actually starting to help each other out, if you can believe it. Things like that are how I know that we’re all going to be okay.”

Talanah smiled, and though she remained silent, she placed a hand on Aloy’s shoulder.

Stealing a glance of that smile, Aloy turned back to Rost’s grave. “Speaking of getting along with other people, there’s… there’s one more thing that’s happened,” said Aloy, taking a deep breath and holding on to Talanah’s hand. “You never really taught me much about romance, relationships, or anything like that, but I found someone.”

Talanah’s eyes widened.

“She’s probably not someone you ever expected me to end up with,” Aloy chuckled, her voice getting heavier with emotion. “She’s probably the strongest, most capable woman I’ve ever met. She sees people for who they actually are, not just what they get shoved into,” Aloy continued, smiling as the corners of her eyes started glistening. “She helped me keep everyone safe, and she’s almost as good with a bow as me.”

Talanah laughed, and playfully squeezed Aloy’s hand. “Almost, my ass.”

Aloy giggled, and wiped away a tear that fell down her cheek. Her heart was racing now as though she were fighting the Deathbringer all over again. “Her name’s Talanah, and I… I love her.”

She could feel Talanah stiffen beside her. Almost afraid to look, Aloy finally glanced over to see her mouth hanging open in shock, tears beginning to prick the corners of her eyes as well. Aloy desperately hoped that this hadn’t been too much for her.

Finally, Talanah broke the silence. “Aloy… are you certain about all this?”

“Talanah, ever since this all began, I never felt like I had a home. A place where I could be safe, and seen just as I am. That changed when I met you,” Aloy murmured. “I’m sure.”

Talanah sniffled, and nodded. Before Aloy had any more time to worry about her response, Talanah lifted her hand to her face and kissed it, before turning back to Rost’s grave. “Hello, Rost. I’m Talanah. It’s nice to finally meet you,”she began, speaking softly in a way that Aloy had only heard few times before. “Aloy talks a lot about you. As for Aloy,” she sighed happily, “I’m with her, and I love her, too.”


End file.
